Only HC F.I.T. got an exclusive look at what went on behind the scenes at 24 Fashion, the fashion show put on by BSU. We got to speak to the creative minds behind this whole production and got to see everything that went into show.
Backstage at 24 Fashion, Production Manager and Director, David J. Hamilton, made an announcement and the whole room became silent with attentive listeners. With just one hour to go until the start of the show everyone immediately snapped into focus to listen to what this BSU president had to say. To our surprise, David introduced us to his whole team, putting us in the spotlight, to tell everyone who we are and what Her Campus is about! For one second we got to feel what it must have felt like out on the runway that night.
We look around and see models, production assistants, camera crews and designers shuffling about. Observing every designer in their own little area, we notice that although busy, they don’t seem flustered; rather, focused. There are assortments of fruit and cheese platters, bottled water and old-fashioned looking diet coke offered to everyone backstage. Very official. It’s the minor details like these that show how much thought was put into every aspect of this show—right down to the well-being of everyone on the night of the show. We get started right away, chatting up everyone involved. BSU Vice President and Stage Manager, Seve Robinson, tells us what 24 Fashion is about and the reasoning behind it. “Here at F.I.T, 24 fashion is the name of the show, we do this every day. Everybody back here, you know, works on fashion 24/7. Whatever aspect, some people are design, some are business, I’m personally textiles…this is what we do. I mean, that’s what we go to school for, that’s why we’re here…to celebrate what we do everyday and who we are everyday.”
After our convo with Seve, we head straight to the hair and makeup station to take a peek at all the models getting glammed up. (And yes, the mirrors were lined with those Hollywood-esque light-bulbs making anyone who looked in them feel like a full-fledged celeb) The makeup artist of the night Nickia Williams let’s us know what’s hot for fall: “structure…a deep cranberry lip and [eye] liner.” Unknowingly, we stop (what we thought to be) a model in a black bustier top, giant red tutu and small top hat with a red ribbon tied around it asking to take a picture. Assuming the outfit must be one of the designer’s creations, we find out that our “model” is Kimberly Nichole, performer for tonight’s show and that the outfit is entirely hers!
We even run into Nik Pace from America’s Next Top Model! (Cycle 5) She was a surprise guest attending the show.
Finishing up interviewing the designers, we slip out just in time to grab our seats before the show starts.
The designs that came down the runway were great and host, Rae Holiday, had us cracking up in our seats. We left the show feeling energized and thankful of how warmly we were treated by everyone backstage. After filing out of the Haft auditorium we stopped in our dorm for a quick change and it was on to the BSU Blackout after party for us!
Check out our exclusive interviews with the designers on the pages to follow:
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Designer: Marvin Inabinet
Hometown: Harlem, NY
Marvin’s designs are just as loud and fabulous as his personality! He credits his inspiration to himself claiming, “[I’m] really wild, and I LOVE leopard print…I’m the show AND the after party!” Expect to see tons of animal print and leather in his designs. What does fashion mean to him? “It’s EVERYTHING honey, I was born into it.” We couldn’t get enough of his vivacious personality!
Follow him on twitter: @justsayinabinet
Check out his designs on tumblr: http://inabinetdesigns.tumblr.com
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Designer: Erica Appleby
Hometown: Miami, FL
Not only a designer, this Miami native is also a painter. She gets her inspiration from Moroccan culture, Arabic mosaics and tons of geometrics. It was very important for her to bring out the models’ skin in her designs, which include beading and sheer. This current collection is meant to express the inner energy of women, which is why the models she chose are “very energetic” and “fun loving.”
Like ETA Luxe by Erica Appleby on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EtaLuxe
Tumblr: http://etaluxe.tumblr.com
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Designers: Christine Smith, Joshua Myrie
Hometowns: Manhattan, NY & Brooklyn, NY
Meeting through their mutual friends, these two have become a lot closer over their years at F.I.T. Although they are two completely separate collections, “we kind of have the same idea in different perspectives, we do work off of each other…we help each other out.” says Christine. They both enjoy minimal colors and silhouettes with some edge. Joshua says, “I tend to lean toward a sort of futuristic perspective, and she’s a little bit more natural.” They have some advice for any upcoming designers: “Be prepared for the real world…and if you want to get a job and a career, you need to be prepared for that. Not only fantasy like, ‘I want to make my own collection’ because you need money to back it up, and if you don’t have that—you need a job. You need to think about that, most people don’t when they’re in school being a designer.”
They are both finalists in ELLE Magazine’s “Fashion Next 2012” Competition.
Vote for them here: http://www.elle.com/fashion/fashion-next-2012-fit-peoples-choice-poll
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Designer: Eva Mohrman
Hometown: Edison, NJ
This jersey girl is just a freshman and already on to big things! Her creativity lies behind the fabrics she’s drawn to (blacks, whites and metallic tones are her faves!) and it, “just tells me what it wants me to make out of it,” she says. Eva also likes “to make a woman feel confident, but only with the right amount of sex appeal.”
Follow Eva on Twitter: @aveevamohrman
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Designer: Jordan Jackson
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
He’s living in an “Original State of Mind.” Starting out making hand-painted t-shirts; Jordan grew an interest in fashion. He moved on to screen-printing t-shirts and doing some airbrush designs as well. Jordan describes his personal style as a “mix of…athletic and casual. I like to combine those two.” His style definitely reflects his collection and we love it! 24 Fashion is his big debut. We know that this is only the beginning for him.
Check out his designs on tumblr: www.osmllc.tumblr.com
Follow Original State of Mind on Twitter: @OSMLLC
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Designer: Ashley Padmore
Hometown: Coney Island, NY
Right from Coney Island Ms. Padmore gets her inspiration from people she sees on the train commuting back and forth from F.I.T and home. (Trust us, it’s a long commute…we’re from Brooklyn too.) Passing through all the different neighborhoods she’s exposed to all types of people and styles. With her dad being a tailor, fashion design has always been in her blood. And she’s no novice to fashion shows either, 24 Fashion was her 5th show! Her definition of fashion is: “Fashion is YOU, really. What you wear, what you choose, what you like, it’s YOU.” Ashley is very open to whatever direction her talent takes her. Whether it be styling, designing for a company or designing for someone personally, she’s ready to take on her next adventure.