FADS brings intimate, editorial fashion show in spite of funding cuts
FADS students model clothing made by student designers, inspired by flora and fauna. The biannual fashion show was held on the walkway outside of Food.com. Zabdyl Koffa | Contributing Photographer
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From a long dress with a lily on the bust to a toga-style dress with fabric draped to resemble a snake, designers embodied the “Flora & Fauna” theme of the Fashion and Design Society’s spring semester fashion show on Saturday.
“That’s the joy of FADS,” Claire McConnell, a Syracuse University sophomore and the show’s creative director, said. “This theme can appeal to someone who loves bright pastel flowers, or someone who loves bones and antlers and deep, dark furs in the forest.”
Saturday marked the culmination of the semester for FADS with its biannual fashion show to showcase the work of student fashion designers and stylists. Eighteen designers displayed a total of 30 looks in the hour-long show.
The pieces included some fully knit or crocheted outfits, like a red and a beige dress. Another look consisted of a fur coat and mini shorts. Others included a green dress reminiscent of Tinker Bell, a patchwork dress made of different sheer-blue fabrics and a green and brown suit.
The theme was a natural progression from last semester’s “Mystical Medieval Realm” show and a clear choice for the spring semester, McConnell said. The theme left designers with room for interpretation. Each designer is different and interpreted the theme in their own way, so no two pieces were the same, Dalia Scolnick, a sophomore and FADS’ fashion director, said. Both Scolnick and McConnell designed their own looks for the show.
“I was intrigued by the surrealist take of nature and making it a bit more grungy and sort of grotesque in its own beautiful way,” McConnell said.
Scolnick drew her inspiration from architecture, the human body and textile manipulation — namely, a lot of pleats, she said.
This semester, the Fashion and Design Society’s spring fashion show had a theme of “Flora & Fauna.” The varied theme left designers with room for differed interpretations. Zabdyl Koffa | Contributing Photographer
FADS aimed to include as many student creatives as possible this semester. Two classical musicians from GUNK!, a band of SU students, provided a jazz accompaniment as the models walked. Classical music was a deliberate choice, McConnell said. Typical FADS shows include fast walks and upbeat music, but she felt this theme required a slower pace.
Throughout this semester, the organization set up multiple fashion shoots as both promotion for the show and portfolio material for members. This year, there were eight smaller shoots instead of the usual three larger ones, giving designers a more intimate feel and editorial look.
“When there’s a fair amount of planning, when the shoots are smaller, when everyone is on the same page, it is fully manageable,” McConnell said.
The promo shoots weren’t the only thing that was different this year.
Registered Student Organizations’ funding cuts forced the organization to make big budget changes, Scolnick said. To continue their semesterly show, FADS had to fundraise for the first time. But the funding cuts didn’t stop them.
The designers were among the most affected, since much of the budget is allocated to their work, Scolnick said. This semester, many of the designers offered to cover the costs themselves so more of the budget could go back into the show.
“We all just tried to keep a positive outlook and stayed in the mindset to keep pushing,” Scolnick said.
The club held multiple fundraising events throughout the semester, including FADS Carnival at the Cage. Student designers with their own label or brand who sold their clothes gave 10% of their earnings toward the show. They also set up a GoFundMe that raised over $1,000 for the organization.
“It was a lot of making ourselves heard and standing our ground because we’re not going to let our organization or show fall through because of funding,” Scolnick said.
Though the fundraising efforts were a success, FADS still had to make some changes for the show to go on. FADS was unable to reserve a space in a campus building, so the show took place on the walkway outside of Food.com at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Due to RSO funding cuts, FADS had to make changes to their fundraising and semesterly fashion show. The group was unable to reserve an inside location, so the show was held outside. Zabdyl Koffa | Contributing Photographer
While hosting the show outside wasn’t their first choice, Nashaly Bonilla, a sophomore and co-head of set design, said the location had both positives and negatives. Saturday’s gusty weather made both the clothes on the runway and the fabric draped in the Newhouse building’s vines come alive.
But the team also had to change the props both visually and structurally the morning of the show so the wind wouldn’t knock them over, Bonilla said.
They settled on a stick draped with fabric pointing toward the runway, inviting people to come see the show and giving the photographers a backdrop for pictures. Having a small, specific backdrop was purposeful, Bonilla said.
“The show was supposed to be more intimate this semester, and having it outside is already so public,” Bonilla said. “Having a city as a background would only take that away more.”
The organization’s RSO funding is secured for the next academic year. Scolnick and McConnell said while they’re glad to know they can overcome financial obstacles, it’s a relief that they won’t have to worry as much next semester.
“We’ve had to cut corners, but it has worked out in a beautiful way,” McConnell said.
