Strutting down the handcrafted runway, models showcased the looks of more than 40 student designers in Fashion II. The annual fashion show, named “Muse,” took place Friday, April 26.

Students began preparing for the show in early September.

“The process before the fashion show was absolutely so stressful,” junior Jonah Graham said. “Me, being incredibly indecisive, I began working on my actual clothes for the runway at most two months ago. We began with sketching our designs and continued with buying fabric and materials.”

Fashion I students attended the show as a graded assignment.

“We had representatives from Nordstrom here and JCPenney Headquarters, who brought her team to get motivated,” fashion design teacher Dana Walker said. “Our students are motivating her design team at a corporate level.”

Fashion students put together the entire show, from stage managing to building the set and creating all looks.

“With all these personalities and diversity, there are conflicts,” Walker said. “I had to tell them that this is not going to be a professional fashion show that you would see on a New York runway. This is a learning process. It’s not just about putting amazing designs on the runway, but there are also so many soft skills they learn in this process.”

Walker gave the students a blank canvas to express themselves, inspiring the theme of “muse.”

“A muse is something that people adore or look up to,” Walker said. “We wanted to capitalize on their independent, artistic approach. Rather than have one thing they conform to, we let them go their own way.”

Models were separated into different groups based on the color and design of their outfits.

“My favorite part of the show was my section,” Graham said.  “After months of preparation, I was finally standing behind the runway with my lovely models waiting to take the stage. The adrenaline and amount of feelings I had was one that I have never felt before. Even after I came home and could finally relax, I couldn’t stop smiling.”

The backstage crew, including junior Nikki Dickerson, cued models to walk on and off the runway.

“Most of these students have got crazy raw talent, and they may have not even known it before,” Walker said. “I kind of get to see that blossom. It’s like watching a butterfly, I literally see them unfold in front of my eyes.”

Designers

1. Love, Leather

Designers: Luke Teigen, Ashlee Kiner, Taylor Studinski, Megan Hall, Teya Thomas and Dakota Bryant

2. Red, White & Black

Designers: Zoe Christenson, Rylie Huckleberry, Makayla Brown, Makayla Gomez, Jaiden Wiswall, Savannah Starkey and Tristen Morris

3. Mad About Plaid

Designers: Julia Davis, Mackenzie Salinas, Hannah Davis, Ashton Shelton and Avery Whitehouse

4. World’s Fair

Designer: Kyri Morris-Jackson

5. Seas the Day

Designers: Mackenzie Salinas, Caroline Havard, Kaitlyn Woodard, Natalie Colvin, Emma Shepherd and Sara Villani

6. Jungle Jive

Designer: Tori Evans

7. Nothing But Neutral

Designers: Maddi Stevenson, Mark Keffer, Mackenzie Salinas and Makayla Brown

8. Island Boho

Designer: Kelsi Ferguson

9. Grunge Guilt

Designers: Mason O’Connell, Bella Duque, Luis Fuentes and Aston Smith

10. CMRN X LEHN

Designer: Cameron Lehn

11. Over the Rainbow

Designers: Zane Beasley, Kaitlyn Woodard and Mark Keffer

12. Lazarus

Designer: Jonah Graham

13. Post Apocalyptic Wedding

Designer: Bailey Hoeppner

14. Style with Ease

Designer: Ifunanya Nwaoba