The fashion merchandising department will host a “Rock N Roll Runway” fashion show to raise money for a New York trip students will take in January 2016.
The runway show will feature approximately 25 female students modeling clothing from local boutiques such as Heart & Soul and Blackbird Clothing, and stores in the Little Rock area. The show will also feature students’ clothing lines from the advanced apparel class.
Executive producer and junior fashion merchandising major Brittany Garrett’s love of rock ‘n’ roll music has influenced the show’s central theme. According to Garrett, the show’s looks are inspired by the late ’60s and early ’70s street style of models and the trending rocker look of current fashion. Garrett said the expected looks will feature edgy clothing, pattern-mixing and black to showcase the rock ‘n’ roll style.
“People say I dress rock ‘n’ roll a lot of the time, and my style icons are Keith Richards and Steven Tyler,” Garrett said. “So I thought that would be cool. The edgy look is really in right now. Everyone is looking at the grungy look, so what better time to do (this theme) than now.”
According to Garrett, the idea for the fashion event came from a conversation she had with Becky Boaz, assistant professor of Family and Consumer Sciences, who teaches in the fashion merchandising department. Garrett said she felt it was time that she produced a fashion show to gain experience in her career.
Along with Boaz and Garrett, students that study public relations, interior design, interior merchandising, and fashion merchandising are volunteering to produce the show. Garrett said students from the visual merchandising and display techniques class will receive a grade for participation in the show.
Senior Rachel Miller is one of the students helping Garrett produce the runway show. Miller, along with senior Madison Brooker, is a fashion lead who is responsible for obtaining permission from stores to use their clothing.
“We contacted the boutiques to see if they were interested in participating,” Miller said. “(Then) the day prior to the show we will go to the stores to pull outfits. We will all collectively choose outfits that we see best represent the rock ‘n’ roll theme.”
Garrett and Miller both said they hope the “Rock N Roll Runway” event will raise awareness for the fashion merchandising department and provide a great opportunity for fashion students to network, gain production skills and build their resume. Miller said she looks forward to showcasing the work the department can produce.
“I think this (runway show) is a good opportunity for Harding’s fashion program to be more out in the public,” Garrett said. “Some people don’t even know Harding has a fashion program, so I think this will be a good time to showcase our abilities.”
Garrett said she hopes the fashion show becomes an annual event for the department with a different theme every year.
The “Rock N Roll Runway” show starts at 7 p.m. in Cone Chapel on Nov. 12. Admission to the show is $5 at the door.
