For some students, Sunday nights consist of rest and relaxation from a long weekend and dreading the start of another week. It’s the time to catch up on some sleep or watch a favorite TV program. That, however, was not the case for other students, like Chase Kennedy, in the Colleges of Textiles and Design last night.
“I’m sewing buttons right now,” Kennedy, a sophomore in fashion and textile management, said. “I’ve been working all weekend and we had practices this morning.”
Kennedy, like many other designers, is making his final preparations for his collection of ‘ready to wear’ men’s clothing in this year’s Art to Wear fashion show. What began as a small show held in “the pit” at the College of Design has grown into the largest fashion show produced at the University. Textiles grad student and Art to Wear director Amy Quinn, Art to Wear 2009 expects to pack thousands of spectators into Reynold’s Coliseum for its first ever indoor show.
“I’m excited to see how it works in Reynold’s,” Katlyn Griffin, senior in fashion and textile management, said. “It’ll be interesting to see how we can change the atmosphere and convert all the basketball stuff into fashion.”
The usually outdoor event had to find a bigger venue this year to accommodate its growth. By presenting the show in Reynold’s Coliseum, Art to Wear can now offer seating to all spectators, including 600 floor seats, and produce a 100 ft runway.
“I think that this year is going to be a lot bigger than it ever has been,” Alyssa McNamara, junior in textile technology, said. “We wanted to keep it on campus but it’s going to be different because it’s never been inside.”
McNamara attended her first Art to Wear show as a senior in high school after her design school interview. She has focused her line around a garden theme, using a variety of vegetables, flowers and plants in her work.
The production for Art to Wear is a long process that begins months in advance. Students must submit a product for judging which determines their acceptance into the show. For some, this can be the most stressful aspect of production.
“I was late to my judging,” Kennedy said. “It was right after Cotton Couture so I was designing a different piece and was really stressing out about it. I was very relieved when I found out that I didn’t have to go into the room with the judges though.”
For Art to Wear, judges do not allow designers into the judging room with their garments. Instead, models are sent in and stand silently as the judges appraise each individual piece.
“I worked really hard that week to get something new for judging and I’ve been working really hard since then,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy’s line focuses on ‘ready to wear’ men’s clothes that have their own unique features like billowing tops and closely tailored jeans. Kennedy said he wanted to help balance the show between the popularly extravagant pieces and other simpler, ready to wear projects.
Griffin is also working on a collection of ready to wear pieces with their own added elements and surprises. However, Art to Wear still holds on to its reputation for extravagant and eclectic designs.
“There is a lot of variety in this year’s show,” Griffin said. “One designer is doing a full line of ready to wear outfits, another has a line based on human qualities that everyone has in common–there is even a dress hooked up to a farming plow.”
However, with the show only days away and exams looming around the corner, the pressure is starting to build.
“We are all stressed out,” McNamara said. “There are many things to do and there are going to be a lot of sleepless nights.”
McNamara said it’s the details that are being attended to this week with a lot of designers tweaking their outfits, adding accessories and making sure pieces don’t come apart on the runway.
“People are just living in the studios now,” Kennedy said. “We just put on loud music and try to keep busy the whole time.”
Art to Wear 2009 begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets can be purchased for reserved seating online at www.ncsuarttowear.com.
