The Fashion and Design Society (FADS), a segment of the department of design here at UC Davis, will be hosting their annual runway show for Picnic Day 2012. This year’s fashion show is headed by Professor Susan Taber Avila and her Signature Collections course.
FADS and the show are supported by the President’s Undergraduate Fellowship. Nineteen design students will be presenting their work for this year’s event. It will include several separate categories; these categories include the Single Garment Competition in which designers and students alike are allowed to showcase any clothing that emphasizes personal expression. Under the personal expression portion of the show, students will showcase designs inspired by their work and research in cultural, historical or environmental emphasis.
Nidia Trejo, a senior double major in design and textiles and clothing, has contributed to the fashion show for three years. “I hope it brings attention to the design department,” Trejo said. “It was only a program before so it was a pretty big deal when they made it into a department recently.”
Trejo will be working with electronic textiles and will be presenting an LED dress. That will be just one of the many innovative designs that will be showcased this year.
This year will also include clothing inspired by Middle Eastern and African cultures.
“My collection intends to broaden public awareness of textiles,” said Faizan Dar, a senior design major. “I have captured the rich complexity and the ultimate height of luxury in Mughal court design by using traditional hand-dyed floral patterns, rich color and luscious embellishments.”
The highlight of recent fashion shows as well as this year’s includes the Red Dress showcase. This portion of the event also serves to raise awareness of health issues relating to women previously sponsored by the Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine Program.
This year will also include a brand new portion of the show in the form of an honor thesis portion. The Honor Thesis portion will include several garments designed by Helen Trejo and Miquette Elliot, two students working on their honor theses in the design department.
“I am debuting my zero-waste collection where I use the entire length and width of fabrics to eliminate textile waste that is typically generated in the clothing-making process,” said Helen Trejo, co-president of FADS and senior design major. “I created this collection as part of my design honors thesis and have worked very closely with Professors Ann Savageau and Susan Avila to learn as much as possible.”
Check out the FADS Inspired Innovation: Signature Collections UC Davis Picnic Day fashion show which will be held in Freeborn Hall. It starts at 1:30 p.m. $5 general admission, $3 with student ID.
RUDY SANCHEZ can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.
