As a member of the general public watching the MSU Apparel and Textile Design Fashion Show, you would never guess the amount of planning and preparation that goes into the making of the show.
The planning of the show begins way back in the previous school year. The senior and junior directors come together at the beginning of the year to start the planning process for the fashion show in March. In the apparel and textile design portfolio class, committee chairs and directors delegate tasks. In addition to that, there is a meeting every Tuesday and Thursday to plan everything from the models, to the programs, to the way the lights look. Every last detail is discussed.
All this planning is worth it though, considering the past two years the fashion show has been sold out. This year, out of 180 textile design students, only 42 were in the show. Before the jurying process, there were about 350 submitted designs, and only about 80 actually make it into the show.
As the senior director this year, Shannon Gillespie reflected on her favorite part of her major that led her to plan this year’s fashion show.
“My favorite part is that it is so unique,” she says. “It’s exciting that I can take classes like knitwear and patternmaking, things that are specifically focused on my major. I’m in classrooms that are full of chaos, but it’s a really stimulating learning environment.”
In a major that has only 20 graduating seniors, it’s no surprise that Gillespie is close with her fellow students and teachers.
“I know most of the students personally,” she says. “Same with faculty. I have personal relationships with all of them, and I know that’s not the same for other students in other majors. We’re all very close, and I like that a lot.”