Fashion Board to host show Thursday at 701 Whaley St.
USC’s Fashion Board kicked off its third annual Fashion Week on Greene Street Monday.
The board gave out complimentary sunglasses, eco-friendly bags, T-shirts reading “Give me the right shoes and I can conquer the world” and raffle tickets for a chance to win a free ticket to Thursday’s fashion show at 701 Whaley St.
According to Fashion Board President Marquis Bias, the event was inspired not only by high fashion runways but ones here in South Carolina.
“I am super-duper excited about the fashion show,” Bias said. “This year I was inspired by Milan and New York but also Charleston. I just thought if someone that local can be influential, why not here?”
The fashion show will include eight retailers around Columbia and second-year retail student Laura McCall’s collection. Laura Dwight, the board’s vice president of programming and a second-year retail student, said this will be her second year attending the event, and she is expecting a larger turnout than last year.
“Our presence around Columbia has grown dramatically, and I think that has to do with our collaboration with retailers,” Dwight. “We’ve been working between students and local retailers to get this started and promote Southern fashion.”
Dwight, who is a fan of designer Jonathan Saunders, said she predicts a mix of pastels and neons paired with neutrals for the upcoming season.
“I’m a big color person,” she said.
A bake sale and a clothing drive will be happening today at the Russell House from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Following that will be a fashion week symposium with speaker Jess James, a notable local fashion designer, at 7 p.m. at the Public Health Building.