An audience full of fashionistas, press, family and friends gathered in the Carpenter Performing Arts Center Wednesday to immerse themselves in a flood of fashion for the 20th annual Campus Couture Fashion Show.
Fierce cat-walkers treaded a bright stage while selections from DJ Marlon Fuentes entertained the audience. The night featured designs from both senior and junior students from Cal State Long Beach’s Fashion Department. The show was split in several sections: computerized flat pattern, advanced flat pattern, draping, experimental clothing and freestyle.
“It’s the best show we’ve ever had,” said fashion show adviser and family and consumer sciences associate professor Suzanne Marshall.
Among the garments displayed, reclaimed and couture pieces were the main attention-grabbers. Mariah Straman transformed an “ugly bride’s dress” into a beautiful one, May Salem turned three umbrellas into a dress and Nicole Zandbergen redesigned a ’70s Kimono-sleeved collared dress.
To celebrate well-known designers from the past and present, students created couture garments with techniques similar to their predecessors. Emily Dureault channeled Christian Lacroix, and Lang Lac used prototype Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.
The night ended with designers from the 2006 show presenting awards that had been judged by 12 industry insiders. A few of them were Lauren Bojorquez, assistant director of Quail; Mary King, design director of Lost Juniors; and Michelle Tillman, senior merchandiser/product developer for Custom Alternative.
The winners of the night were Beverly Castillo, Lisa Jn. Marie-Crow, Jessica Butler, Dureault, Caitlin Dorrance, Salem, Brie Nishimura and Sun Hee Leem.
Salem, a senior majoring in fashion design and merchandising, was the winner of the Overall Award: Most Innovative Excellence in Creativity.
“[In] my collection, everything was eco-friendly. I used hemp, bamboo and pineapple leaf fibers, banana leaf fibers and organic fibers,” Salem said.
Salem explained her use of eco-friendly fibers comes from culture. “I was born in the Philippines. I did use a lot of traditional fabrics that were used in my culture like the pi?a fabrics were originally used as slaves’ outfits for the Filipinos by the Spaniards.”
Salem added, “We were ruled by them for 400 years. I wanted to use it because of the naturalness and I wanted to explain how that type of garment came about in our culture. The reason why they used it is because they didn’t want any Filipinos to carry weapons; it was basically a form of control and to distinguish the Filipinos from the Spaniards.”
Nishimura won the Most Marketable Award.
“As juniors we don’t even think about winning anything. We’re just here for the ride,” Nishimura said.
Nishimura offered her fashion advice: “As long as you’re happy, don’t listen to what anybody else says.”
Seniors Marie-Crow and Castillo worked as a team and won the award for computerized flat pattern.
The winning dress was inspired by a garden party theme. The two worked with the hibiscus flower.
“I grew up with hibiscus. I love the petals,” Marie-Crow said.
Winning awards and showing off designs weren’t the only product of the designers’ labor. Marie-Crow got an offer for a Caribbean-inspired garment, and plans on starting her own line.