The hard work and dedication of student designers, artists and models in the Student Designer Showcase will be overflowing 701 Whaley on Wednesday.
Part of USC Fashion Week 2016: Stressed, Blessed and Fashion Obsessed, the Student Designer Showcase will be an opportunity for passionate USC students to share their passion for artistic expression through fashion, art and photography. The designers are extremely excited for the event and eager to share their love for fashion and creative cultivation to the public.
“I think this is such a special event because not only are the students designing looks, but they are also creating & constructing them," said Lyssie Ropp, student designer and third-year fashion merchandising student. "I feel like sewing has become somewhat of a lost art, so any event supporting and promoting students sewing, in my opinion, is really great."
One of the main events of USC Fashion Week, the Student Designer Showcase proved a stressful but rewarding endeavor to plan and schedule.
“Figuring out how long each part of the event will take has been a challenge for me personally, especially because I completely changed the style of the Student Designer Showcase," said second-year business student Mary Wilbur, the main force in charge of the Student Designer Showcase. "Because of this it is hard to refer to last year’s showcase as a model.”
The clothes that one wears, although seemingly insignificant, provide an outlet for creative expression and ideas, as seen and heavily endorsed by these young artists, designers and models.
“I love fashion because it is a way for me to express myself and it gives me a voice, whether it be a scream or a whisper," Ropp said. "So many people look at fashion as a way fit in, but I’ve always looked at it as a way to stand out."
Standing out in a sea of college students through artistic expression in fashion is an excellent way to be original — especially when yoga pants and T-shirts just aren’t cutting it anymore.
The Student Designer Showcase, as part of the university’s ninth annual fashion week, will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. The event is free of charge for students with a CarolinaCard or $5 at the door. Cash, check and credit are all acceptable forms of payment. Graduate music student Philip Castro will play piano at 6 p.m. and DJ BROCK will provide music during the showcase. Vendors and light refreshments will also be available.