Spring fashion show challenges and excites student designers

Family and consumer sciences (FACS) student Morgan Zuck has loved sewing for a long time. So when she had the opportunity to create her own garment to showcase in Liberty’s student-run fashion show, she jumped at the opportunity.

This year’s fashion show, titled and themed “Flourish: Fashion in Full Bloom,” will be held on April 7. This annual event hosted by the FACS department gives student fashion designers the chance to showcase their work and network with professional connections in the fashion industry.

Like other designers in the show, Zuck, a junior, began her dress months before the show. She used a pattern for the skirt, but created her own pattern for the outer layer of the bodice.

“This whole fashion show has been challenging for me, but in a way that has taught me a lot,” Zuck said.

For fashion show director Madison MacQueen, the show has held an appeal for her even before her time at Liberty.

“The fashion show drew me in, so I knew coming here that I wanted to be a part of it,” MacQueen, a junior studying fashion merchandising, said.

This is MacQueen’s first time directing the show. She stepped into the position after former director Savannah Griffin stepped down in the Fall 2017 semester.

“It’s definitely been challenging, but I love a good challenge, so it’s been really fun to see all the hard work that goes into putting on this fashion show,” MacQueen said.

As the director, MacQueen has a variety of responsibilities, some of which include reminding designers of upcoming due dates and model workshops, and overseeing the marketing to make sure people know about the show.

“It’s a lot of event planning,” MacQueen said. “I think event planning is the most challenging, because going into it, I thought I would be just working with the models and designers. But the show itself is an event.”

MacQueen has also been working with the Liberty University Police Department for the event’s security. She said that because there will be about 1,000 people at the event, each guest will be required to walk through a metal detector. In addition, the clear bag policy will be in place.

Although the fashion show is April 7, planning for it starts months earlier (as early as September or October), when the director and others begin brainstorming ideas for the theme and name of the show.

In late October, open casting calls for models were held, and both men and women are invited to attend. By then, many of the designers have already chosen friends to be their models.

During the spring semester, models and designers attend several workshops, where they receive pointers on how to walk down the runway. For designers like Zuck, the workshops give the designers time to work on their garments.

Designers and models are also required to go to several progress checks in the months and weeks leading up to the show. MacQueen said this allows her to meet one-on-one with each designer to offer critiques and pointers on their garments.

The last few days before the fashion show involve taking care of the last-minute details, including putting the backdrop into place and making sure there are enough seats for all the guests, according to MacQueen.

The evening before the show, models attend a dress rehearsal, where they practice lining up their runway walks with the music and making sure their timing is right.

The day of the fashion show is a lengthy day for everyone involved. For models, the day begins around 9 a.m. Each model will receive a specific time slot to come in and have their hair and makeup done, according to MacQueen, and at 2 p.m., rehearsals will begin.

“It’s a really long day, but it’s worth it,” MacQueen said.

The models are not the only ones who arrive several hours before the show. MacQueen said the vendors, which this year include Kendra Scott, Jars of Hope and Frolic by Celebration, come around 3 p.m. to set up.

The judges will arrive at 5 p.m., allowing the designers to have an opportunity for a meet-and-greet with the judges before the show.

A range of judges will attend the show, including successful designers from both New York and the Lynchburg area. According to MacQueen, some of the judges are Liberty alumni.

“We try to get in high profile judges, so that’s a huge opportunity for (designers) to make connections with those judges,” MacQueen said. “They can see if possibly after graduation they can land a job or an internship with them. We want to make connections really beneficial for designers.”

In addition, MacQueen said that participating in the fashion show allows designers to add garments to their portfolio and the experience to their resume.

MacQueen said her favorite part of the show is watching each designer’s garment grow from a sketch to a completed garment. She said she has enjoyed seeing the unique talent and potential of each student designer.

For Zuck, creating her garment has been an invaluable learning experience.

“I love so many things about designing in the fashion show, like getting to know the other designers, but I think my favorite part is seeing my dress come together and learning so many new sewing skills and techniques,” Zuck said.

MacQueen said that the show usually sells out a few weeks before the big day.

“We put a lot of thought and hard work into this event, so we’re really excited for the date to come,” MacQueen said.

Those who are interested in attending the fashion show will be able to find a link for tickets in the next few weeks on the fashion show’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/libertyfacsfashionshow