VCU news

By Tom Gresham

On a recent morning a group of fashion students took turns trying their newest menswear designs on a model on the fourth floor of the Pollak Building. Steven Sherba slid on various shorts, vests, gloves and headdresses, which were then tugged at, smoothed, considered and sometimes photographed by the designers. The model grinned at the sometimes wacky designs, especially the unique headwear, as the designers themselves circled him, critically appraising their work.

Henry Swartz, an associate professor at VCU, spoke with each student about minutia related to the fit, color and craftsmanship of the pieces. And then the students took their clothes and got back to work.

The students were preparing for VCU’s annual juried fashion show, which will be held on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Louise B. and J. Harwood Cochrane Atrium of the newly renovated Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The fashion show, which this year is titled “TWENTYTEN,” marks the first public event held in the VMFA’s newest addition.

Tiara Murphy, a senior fashion merchandising student at VCU and one of the show’s many student organizers, said that the event will mark an appropriate marriage of venue and theme – the impressive glass and marble in the atrium of the new James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing matched to the wild, futuristic designs of the clothes the students have conceived. It also serves as a nod to the prestige that the show has gained over the years.

“It’s really an honor and a great opportunity,” said Karen Videtic, chair of the VCU Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising.

The show will feature select work from junior and senior fashion designers in 11 categories, including Day Dresses, Cocktail, End of the World, Japanese Anime, Knitwear, MySpace/Personal Space, Menswear, Cut-n-Sew Knits, Luck Stone, Military and Eveningwear. The common thread running through the entire collection will be a colorful future – sometimes with apocalyptic elements and sometimes with a more lighthearted skew. The pieces in the show are selected by a group of top fashion industry critics. Patricia Honeycutt Cantor, a VCU alumna and Harper’s Bazaar executive, will serve as commentator for the show.

Senior designers typically have three or four pieces in the show, while junior designers have two pieces. The students spend months studying concepts, creating and discarding designs and then crafting the pieces. The clothes often look ready to wear weeks in advance of the actual show, but then they are reviewed by critics who give students insight and instructions for final preparations of the designs for a public viewing. It is a demanding process that requires close attention to every nuance of a piece.

Within the categories, students encounter a variety of challenges and inspirations.

For instance, in the Eveningwear section, which is taught by Kim Guthrie, an assistant professor, students are required to create designs that are environmentally friendly – a sustainable, green approach to fashion that has students looking at the making of clothes in a new light. Linda Loudermilk, a prominent eco-designer, is serving as critic for the section and has helped provide the students with direction.

Guthrie said environmentally friendly design is an important element to include in a fashion show devoted to the future, especially as the green market grows. She said the class has been tough for the students – “it’s a lot harder way to approach design,” she said – but they have tackled it and produced some impressive work. She said the students did not take the limitations imposed on them as an excuse.

“They are still making beautiful evening dresses and nobody will know the difference,” Guthrie said.

In the Luck Stone section, which is sportswear-style clothes, students have found inspiration in the products and showroom of the Charles Luck Stone Center. Students have fashioned designs reminiscent of the marble, granite, agate, tile work and pebbles of Luck Stone, using a high-tech printer that allows them to design and print their own fabrics. Kristin Caskey, an associate professor who teaches the section, said that students are finding freedom in the control that the printer allows them. It is allowing them to translate their vision of a piece in a highly specific way.

“It’s a cool thing,” Caskey said. “The students are starting to see and understand what they can do and they’re getting excited about it.”

The fashion show sells out every year. Ticket prices are $25 for general admission and $35 for reserved seating. Tickets can be purchased by calling the fashion department at (804) 828-1699.