Colored lights rhythmically shine through the translucent curves of the framework surrounding the entrance of the runway, evoking a tone meant to inspire the imagination.
Even the runway itself becomes an extension of “Muse,” this year’s theme for the annual fashion show hosted by UCLA’s Fashion and Student Trends club.
This year marks the 12th anniversary of the fashion show, an event that features clothing designs created by student designers and worn by student models.
The theme for this year’s event was chosen to allow each student designer to base their six- to 10-piece collection on what inspires and motivates them through the creative process.
“We wanted to focus on the design process and how you come up with your own inspiration from a mindset, to something on paper, to something visible on a garment,” said Jennifer Lee, co-president of FAST and a fourth-year computational and systems biology student.
“It’s about the raw process of creativity and how a designer brings their ideas to life.”
In addition to encouraging a dynamic fashion show that features each designer’s personal style, this year FAST organized Fashion Week to accompany the fashion show.
Having started Monday, UCLA’s Fashion Week features a different event each day until Thursday.
“Monday (was) fashion night out, Tuesday there (was) a photo booth at Bruin Plaza, (today) is the actual show and Thursday is an after-party at (Barney’s Beanery),” Lee said.
“The purpose is to show how fashion has affected our university and it’s going to be more like a celebration of student work.”
While previous fashion shows hosted by FAST featured student work only in the fashion aspects of the event, Samara Al-Jumaily, co-president of FAST and a fourth-year civil engineering student, said this year’s show incorporates student work in all aspects of the show’s production, including stage design done by three architecture students.
“As a young architect trying to get your name out, you have to do installations in galleries so people can see your work,” said Kaveh Arbab, a UCLA graduate student in architecture.
“A fashion show is the perfect venue for that – it’s an installation (in) scale but it also has to accommodate to people walking through it.”
The students involved in stage design, Arbab and fellow graduate students in architecture Aiden Carty and Andrew Akins, designed and constructed a canopy-like frame that arches above the entrance of the runway.
The structure is made from several curved plastic panels that connect together to make a larger field, creating the illusion of one consecutive sheet.
“When you look at the canopy, you’re not supposed to see each panel, … and to avoid that we decided on a curved design,” Carty said.
“I always thought of (the design) to look like a piece of fabric in the air, like a textured, sculpted piece of fabric over the runway.”
Other students involved in the fashion show are sisters Deedee Chiang and Mimi Chiang, who are participating as student designers for the first time this year.
The two work together to create each piece in their collection and share a cohesive vision that entails clean lines with bold colors in their work.
The sisters said the view from their bedroom window was what inspired the aesthetic value of their collection.
“The window is like a palette. A lot of stuff can end up on your window and sometimes looks really cool, like when it rains and light shines through. We’re trying to put all of those ideas in (our collection),” said Mimi Chiang, a third-year electrical engineering student.
While Deedee Chiang, a third-year business economics student, has had a few more years of experience designing clothes than her sister, both sisters have credited FAST with giving them the opportunity to participate in their first runway show.
“Without this opportunity, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing now,” Deedee Chiang said.
“FAST kind of gave us a push of motivation, and gave us a deadline to deal with. We’re hoping whatever ideas we have (in this fashion show) will be brought forth into reality through this experience.”
Just wanted to point out that the designer for the dresses worn in the featured image are by Janey Velasco! They are beautiful. My favorite from the show tonight.
Student Trends club is a great platform for young fashion designers, the dresses in the above pictures are looking great, would love to see their whole collection.