'Enchanted' Fashion Show: The Experience

On April 12, 2018, the Fashion Merchandising and Design Society (FMDS) put on its annual fashion show. The theme this year was “Enchanted,” a take on edgy-yet-whimsical designs. If you missed any information about the lead-up to the show, be sure to read the Collegiate Times’pre-eventcoverage.

The coordinators, Lissandra Cartagena and Meredith Cox, have been putting this show together for an entire year — coordinating a large-scale event like this is no easy feat.

Well over 500 tickets were sold, with the show selling out of seats. People were buying tickets just to stand in the back of the ballroom to watch.

I was able to arrive one hour early, and the FMDS had set up a VIP room just across from the Squires Ballroom with catered food and beverages. I sat in the ballroom before the crowds rolled in, and I was luckily able to take in the amazing setup and added decorations before the room became too crowded. The decorations were exquisite and the room had a very romantic air to it with the abundance of candles and flowers used to illustrate the “Enchanted” theme.

In the back of the ballroom, there were several small businesses representing their work. There was ThriftEd Magazine with several thrifted finds, Volume II Bookstore with a Clinique booth, Jay Marne with a selection of bags and eff.Y.bee with beautiful jewelry. There was also a photo area with a backdrop where a professional photographer was taking pictures for guests.

Two big screens in the ballroom were playing behind-the-scenes footage of the audition process and practicing for the models, as well as personal anecdotes from some of the student designers. I thought this was a nice touch, since it allowed the audience to get to know the students involved before the show started.

The show began with several models showcasing clothes from four local boutiques: Sundee Best, Greenhouse, 310 Rosemont and Fringe Benefit. After that, the student designers were able to show off their creations.

There were several special guests at the show, including Miss Virginia USA Ashley Vollrath, who guest-judged the garment competition. DJ C-Jay provided the music for the show. Other special guests included “Pardon Muah” fashion blogger Amanda Marshall, owner of fashion company “The Well Dressed Student” Sunny Murthy and “What the Clique” lifestyles blogger Erica Sullivan.

Overall, the show went smoothly and was incredibly entertaining. It is always surprising to see how talented these students are, creating and sewing their original designs from scratch. The theme “Enchanted” was beautifully carried out in all of the clothes that were showcased.

The show was professional and sophisticated. The members of the audience were supportive throughout the entire show, and nearly every model was cheered on as they displayed a student designer’s ensemble.

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At the end of the show, a garment competition was held. The designers selected an ensemble for the models to wear, and the models strutted onto the catwalk one last time while holding big numbers so the audience could vote for their favorite through a survey. This was one of my favorite parts of the show because it was interactive with the audience.

The winner of the garment competition was Jamie Roe with her chic style of dresses, and the winner of judge’s pick was Elizabeth Dunn with her dazzling ball gowns.

If I could see this show again, I definitely would. I would recommend the Fashion Merchandising and Design Society’s fashion show any day of the week. It was so refreshing to see how creative some of the students here at Virginia Tech can be. All around, the show was just plain fun. Everyone — models, designers and audience members — was having a good time.

To keep up with important updates, follow FMDS social media accounts. Be sure to like VTFMDS on Facebook as well as follow @vtfmds on Instagram to keep yourself posted for updates on next year’s show. This is an event to mark on your calendars.

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