N.C. State design show struts strong

Art to Wear gets more sponsors and bigger venue

There's a new catwalk at N.C. State University and it's all grown up. In just six years, the school's annual "Art to Wear" fashion show has gone from just a few students in a small show appealing mostly to design and textiles students, to one of the Triangle's biggest and best attended fashion shows.

The show Thursday night is expected to top them all, largely because of more than a dozen new community and university sponsors -- up from just a handful last year -- and a new venue on campus at the Court of North Carolina. The court has three times the space as the show's old home at Kamphoefner Courtyard with room for 500 rented seats and a new runway designed specifically for the show.

"The show is definitely bigger and better than before," said the show's student director Lexa Dennis, a junior from Holly Springs who is studying textiles and apparel management. "We've really pushed everything to another level this year."

Dennis said student organizers knew it was time for a change. Last year, the show was so popular, it was standing-room only, with some students arriving hours in advance to get seats. A couple of architecture students even tailgated before the show, grilling hot dogs and hamburgers.

This year, the show has become such an overwhelming production, Dennis was named as the dedicated student director. In previous years, two student designers shared the task of organizing the show in addition to designing collections for the show.

With Dennis at the helm, student designers can focus more on their creations. "I've been trying to keep the designers motivated and everyone excited about the show," she said.

Dennis promises something for everyone with the 15 designers creating a wider variety of pieces than normal.

For instance, senior Saet Kim, who is studying art and design and textile technology, has created a series of wedding dresses from different cultures using organza and tulle. Elizabeth Bradford, a senior who also is studying art and design and textile technology, has a collection of masks and costumes, while Holly Weaver, a senior studying textile and apparel management, is sticking to the classics with a collection inspired by the style of Grace Kelly with simple lines but with modern details.

Emily Cosgrove, a returning student designer who is one of two designers helping direct the show, said her collection looks back at women's fashion from the '20s through the '80s.

"I started looking at women's fashion and how it's changed from decade to decade," she said. "I thought it would be interesting for a runway show."

For the second year, student designers in the show had to go through a jury process to make the cut.

And for the first time, State's designers have teamed up with students at the Aveda Institute in Chapel Hill. The student stylists will do much of the hair and makeup for the nearly 75 models before the show.