For the last 4 years as a community service project, I’ve collaborated with Elsik High School’s fashion design program by sponsoring and producing a fashion show/design competition. If you are new to these parts you can read about previous shows here, here, here and here. We are headed into our 5th year getting ready for the 2016 Fashion Show and Design Competition, "The Art of Fashion”. This year the designers are challenged to select a painting from a well known artist as inspiration and create a 3-piece collection. I’m very excited about the Design Competition because this is the first time the designers will put together a collection. There is a lot of activity that happens before the models walk down the runway. Here’s a rundown on what’s happening behind the scenes as we prepare for the Show!
Getting Organized
Staying on track and organized is
mandatory so the school year was started by selecting student designers for leadership positions. Their job is to assist their fellow designers to get everything accomplished in a timely manner. Five designers were selected for a leadership role-one lead supervisor and four scene supervisors. Each scene supervisor was assigned a scene. The scene supervisor is responsible for everything that is needed to complete that scene including the music, organizing the line-up and the final look pictures (20 looks in each scene). The lead supervisor is responsible for the 4 scene leaders and assisting Mrs. Rey, the fashion design instructor.
Dreaming Big and the Camryn Flower
Ann also came bearing gifts for each designer, a composition book to write down their big dreams and a kit to make her Camryn Flower.
The designers learned a new skill and came up with some awesome ways to use this beautiful flower!
Designers’ Workshop
We had our first Designers’ Workshop on Saturday, Oct 17. Industry experts shared their knowledge with the designers to help them improve their skill set. In the morning, Amy from Schwartz Designz spoke with the designers on how to put together a professional portfolio. She walked them through the process step by step with lots of tips and left a completed portfolio for the designers to refer to.
In the afternoon, Briggett and Bridget, instructors from HCC gave demonstrations on various sewing techniques. We ended the day with door prizes-a sewing machine and sewing books donated by a few of Sew Much Fabric’s clients.
HCC Field Trip
In November, we ended the semester with a field trip to Houston Community College (HCC) Fashion Design Department. The Division Chair of Lifestyle, Arts & Design Careers, Suzette Brimmer, Adjunct Professor Briggett Smith and HCC’s Fashion Representative, Freddie Saucedo provided the students with a tour of the entire department and a very entertaining lecture on fashion history from the late 1800s to today. A huge thank you to Suzette, Briggett and Freddie for putting together such a fun and informative tour of the fashion design department! Several student designers are looking forward to attending HCC after graduation. 
It’s been a great year so far as we work our way to the runway
on Saturday, April 30, 2016. See you there!!!!
