A pair of Lackawanna High School students in the Erie 1 BOCES Fashion Design Technology program hit the runway with their clothing designs during the 2022 FUSION Fashion Show: Silver Linings.
The students, Carissa Weeks and Owen Voss, were among the ten Western New York students that showcased their personally designed and crafted collections during the show.
Carissa said her inspiration to get into studying fashion came from her interest in upcycling clothing she found at thrift stores.
“I’ve always wanted to decrease my fast fashion consumption and how much I spend, and the best way to do that would be to do it myself,” Carissa said. “Now that I know more about fashion and the industry, I really do love it more. It’s so passionate and creative.”
Carissa said her designs for the show represent ways she finds comfort amidst feelings of loneliness.
“It’s supposed to feel kind of eerie yet comforting or familiar when you look at it,” she said.
The FUSION Fashion Show, which has been running since 2009, took place on May 12 at the Calspan Building at 4411 Genesee Street, Buffalo. The theme for the show was developed by students, who said they considered their studies in the program as a silver lining as COVID impacted their school and personal lives.
Owen said the colors of his work include dark and tinted forms of red, blue, yellow, green, brown, black, purple and pink.
“These colors show and represent that we may still be suffering from Covid, but we are coming back to express ourselves to the real world,” Owen said. “We are going to fight back and get brighter and brighter until our colors shine!”
Owen said he was inspired to study fashion based on the feeling that his clothes gave him.
“I selected to be a fashion student to share with others the feeling of being comfortable but also stylish,” he said. “I hope to share this with people from the clothing I draw and create.”
Though Carissa is still evaluating her future plans, she said she would like to continue sewing and making clothing items. Owen said he hoped to attend a college in either Buffalo or New York City after graduating high school.
The show has evolved into a collaborative event across various Erie 1 BOCES programs. Students in the Barbering and Cosmetology program used their skills to prepare the hair and makeup of models participating in the show, while Criminal Justice students provided support for security. Students in the Digital Media program created posters and tickets for the show and recorded the live show. Meanwhile, students in the Video Production and Recording Arts program made videos to introduce each fashion student and their collection during the show.
The two-year Fashion Design Technology program at Erie 1 BOCES’ Harkness Career & Technical Center teaches students how to dress, style and create trends based on design elements and the fashion cycle. Students in the program also develop business plans as a part of their studies, setting them up for future success.
For more information about the show and the student designers, visit https://www.e1b.org/en/k-12-education-programs/fusion-2022.aspx