USC student models a design down the runway.
USC student and designer Sarah Dyer’s inspiration came from the Great Gatsby and the wedding shop she works at.
Senior Aspen Odle used 3-D floral arrangements in her design for the student showcase.
Glitz, glam and fashion are not typically what comes to mind when thinking of the University of South Carolina. But at the student fashion showcase, it is clear the school has plenty of style.
The USC fashion board teams up with local boutiques every year to bring an opportunity for students to showcase their work.
Junior, Sarah Dyer, said the pressure of the show helps motivate her.
“Once I have the dresses almost complete, a lot of times I just have an idea come to my head,” Dyer said. “Then it all comes together, and obviously my favorite part is seeing them on the runway, so it finally pays off.”
The students put a lot of time and effort into their designs. Aspen Odel, senior and one of the designers for the show, said she spent around 100 hours working on the three dresses she showcased. The designers are also entirely responsible for the materials and models they choose to use.
The audience patiently waited around the runway in the elegant atmosphere that vintage venue 701 Whaley provides. Backstage, there was makeup, heels, and plenty of selfies as models and designers put on the finishing touches. Before they knew it, it was showtime.
The audience, made of both students and locals, swallowed up the dresses as each model made their way down to the runway. At the end of the show, all the models and designers came back to the center of the venue where event goers could actually interact with the designs.
“I definitely want to come next year, it’s very interesting to see students are creating their own unique designs which I think is so cool,” sophomore Beata Juodvalkyte said.
This student showcase is just one of the many events USC’s fashion board puts on for Carolina fashion week. They also had a boutique crawl and wrapped the week up with a finale show on March 29.
All the proceeds raised from the fashion week events were donated to the American Heart Association.