A Fantastic Year

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To all my fellow fashion majors,

Most of us are nearing the end of our journey here at Genesee Community College and we all have different plans of what we would like to do after we graduate. Some of us will be going to a different state for schooling, some of us will be going to New York City, and some of us are still not sure what lies ahead.

I am still not sure what my future holds, but what I do know now is how much each and every one of you has inspired me. I am so grateful that I decided to come to school here and join the Fashion Merchandising program and I am so thankful for all of the wonderful friendships I have made over the past 2 years and for all of the amazing opportunities that I have been given.

Not only have the students, my peers, inspired me, but my incredible professors, Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart, have also had an enormous impact on me. When I first came to college, I was very shy and didn’t speak up in class or talk to anyone, but these two professors were able to make me feel very comfortable talking in front of the class; they made me feel welcomed and like I belonged. They were always motivating me and everyone else to be the very best we can be and they taught all of us how to take charge.

It’s been 8 days since the fashion show and I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness amongst the settling excitement we felt then. While this was an exciting moment for all of us, the thought that this is the last project we all worked on together saddens me.  We have all been working extremely hard on this since the fall semester, and I have enjoyed every single minute. With that being said, we gave it 110% and had a record breaking show!  Congratulations everyone.

Author: Bailey Johnson

Instagram: baileyyyroseee

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Inside Momoka Fukatsu’s Inspiration for Elysium

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The 36th Annual Fashion Show: Elysium is less than a week away.  I am excited and can’t wait to see how it works out!

I’m a scene coordinator for the scene Chloris. I major in Fashion Merchandising, but also have an interest for all things related to fashion, including designing, styling, and sewing. I decided to be a part of the 36th annual fashion show this year. When I worked as an intern last year for “Fashion Is…Diversification”, I saw how difficult it is to plan the scene and control all of the models, but at the same time, how amazing when we made it.

However, I’m not majoring in fashion design, so I thought the best way to join the fashion show was to borrow clothing from apparel stores and styling them. When I thought about that again, I finally decided on making the clothing by myself. Once I made that decision, my mind moved forward to create apparel by myself. I like challenges in whatever I want to do, even if it is difficult. My potential will be nothing without execution. So, this is really the first time in my life that I have made clothing. I didn’t know how to sew or make patterns at all, but this wonderful opportunity drives me to learn more about making clothing by myself. This would be definitely valuable for my career.

Basically, our outfits focus on femininity with sexiness. This spring summer trends are involved in sheer fabric so that we obtain the style of translucency as well.

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Being an international student, I wanted to take in kimono textiles, which are used in traditional Japanese clothing. I like to mix different field of fashion, just like coordinate street style with high-end brand.  I don’t want to show kimono as a traditional Japanese wear, and I want to show kimono as a part of modern fashion. Our fashion show is going to live stream internationally (link here), so I hope my family and friends will have fun watching our production.

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S/S 2017 Trends:

  •                Shocking pink (bubble gum)
  •                Yellow
  •                Flower print
  •                Underwear as outerwear
  •                Round shoulders
  •                Puffball shoulders
  •                Off shoulder (one shoulder)
  •                Polka dots
  •                Patchwork
  •                Space style
  •                Stripes (art/pop)

Look for these trends in my scene: Chloris!

 

Author: Momoka Fukatsu

Instagram: @mf_0313

Terpischore | Goddess of Dance & Chorus

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When you think of fashion you probably only think about the women’s wear and men’s wear, active and lounge. There is more to fashion than the basics. Terpsichore is one of the nine muses, the goddess of dance and chorus. I thought about Terpsichore because I love dancing. My inspiration for this scene came from my background of dancing. I have danced 11 years of my life in a dance studio in my hometown. I then continued dancing in college on the dance team for the past 2 years now. Seeing how I could choose any god or goddess, I thought if there was a god or goddess of dance. Soon enough I found there was a goddess of dance.

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If you look into the fashion behind a recital or a team routine, there is more to it than you think. There are millions of different outfits for dancers, from lyrical to jazz, tap to ballet, contemporary to pointe, and so much more. There is also a lot of work put into the choreography the dancers will be performing. When learning a routine, it takes several months; this includes learning the dance, putting the dancers into spots, and then finally perfecting the routine so it is ready for either a competition, recital, or festival. I have been in over 15 dance recitals in my lifetime. The number of hours spent in the studio is more than you could imagine.

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Author: Kayla Suchanick

Instagram: @kayla_rebecca15

Twitter: @kayla_rebecca15

Chloris | Goddess of Flowers

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In Greek mythology, there is the tale of Chloris, goddess of flowers and nature, and the nymph of spring. Chloris was in the forest one day when she stumbled upon the lifeless body of woodland nymph. Saddened by the innocent creature’s fate, she decided to breathe life anew and reached out to the other gods to transform the nymph’s body into a flower.

To this, Aphrodite would add beauty, and Dionysus gave her nectar for a sweet-smelling fragrance. The three Graces gave the blossom the gifts of charm, joy, and splendor. All agreed it was the most spectacular of flowers. Chloris also represents beauty, sexuality, love, and spring, and her symbols are all flowers. This flowering pertains to the human spirit and also the appreciation of beauty in the body.

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For this year’s fashion show, my friend Momoka Fukatsu and I are working on the scene together based on Chloris. I make clothing of my own for the scene; however I don’t have much experience with making a patterns and sewing. It is really difficult to do that, but I am gaining valuable experience for my life. It has been my dream to design and make garments. This opportunity caused me to have an increased interest in fashion design, and my love of fashion grew. This scene pursues ultimate femininity and utilizes the various textiles and added details to the garment. The inspiration is the element of garments with elegance and sexiness based on 1960’s style including ruffles, flowers, and ribbons. I’m careful in selecting the fabrics for clothing, and use tulles, velvet, lace, satin and Japanese kimono textile.

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It’s my first time doing a scene and it has been difficult, although I’m really happy to have this opportunity. Through it, I think that I have acquired and developed various knowledge and skills, including producing a fashion show, sewing skills, communication skills, and cooperation skills. I will be able to use this experience in the future in just about all aspects of my life. I try to do my best in order to produce a wonderful show and hope many people will come to the show.

Author: Naoko Hayashi

Instagram: @_nao.coco_

A History of Denim

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Seeing that denim jeans have been a clothing staple for men since the 19th century, the jeans that I’m wearing right now are a lot different from the denim jeans that my grandfather or even my dad wore.  According to sources, before the 1950s most denim jeans were crafted from raw and selvedge denim that was made in the United States. But in the subsequent decades, as denim went from workwear to an everyday style, the way jeans were produced changed dramatically.

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With the implementation of cost cutting technologies and the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs to developing countries, the quality of your average pair was greatly reduced. Changes in consumer expectations altered the denim landscape as well; guys wanted to pick up pre-washed, pre-faded, pre-broken-in, and even pre-ripped jeans that looked like they’d been worn for years.

So what is denim? Well, according to Quality Logo Products, denim is a woven fabric commonly made with a blue cotton warp yarn and a white cotton filling yarn. When it was first designed, denim was primarily used to make work clothes and tough clothing like overalls, but today it is used for everything from purses and skirts to denim jackets and other fashionable clothes. Denim is so popular in the twenty-first century that you can hardly walk into a store without seeing it on racks and displays.

You might also ask, how is denim made? Checking out the complex pattern of the fabric on denim jeans, that pattern is referred to as “twill weave,” and it is caused by finely-interwoven yarns. The white cotton filling yarns run the width of the fabric and interlace at 90-degree angles with the blue cotton warp yarns, which also run the length of the fabric, and therefore produce the fine lines you see on your denim.

Most denim jeans you buy today have been pre-washed to soften up the fabric, reduce shrinkage, and prevent indigo dye from rubbing off. Raw denim, sometimes called “dry denim” jeans are simply jeans made from denim that hasn’t gone through this pre-wash process. Because the fabric hasn’t been pre-washed, raw denim jeans are pretty stiff when you put them on the first time. It takes a few weeks of regular wear to break-in and loosen up a pair. The indigo dye in the fabric can rub off as well.

It is said that Raw denim (all denim actually) comes in two types, sanforized or unsanforized. Sanforized denim has undergone a chemical treatment that prevents shrinkage after you wash your jeans. Most mass-produced jeans are sanforized, and many raw and selvedge denim jeans are too. Unsanforized denim hasn’t been treated with that shrink-preventing chemical, so when you do end up washing or soaking your jeans, they’ll shrink by 5%-10%.

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Raw denim is dark denim and dark denim is probably one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you can own. Raw denim jeans look much sharper than a faded pair of Wranglers, and not only can you wear them with a t-shirt and a pair of Converse, you can also pair them with a dress shirt and a sport coat for a night on the town.

 

Author: Terrell Poole

Eurybia: Seafaring Vagabond

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Eurybia is an ancient sea goddess daughter of Gaia and Pontus.  Some sources claim that she is obscure and insignificant but that cannot be right because she was given protection over the ocean waters by her parentless, primordial Earth Mother.  She has dominion of the deepest parts with “a heart of flint” and who knows what Shimmers Down There with sunken civilizations and sea monsters as well as vast reservoirs of undiscovered energy — certainly an impact upon the climate.

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There seems to have been a coup d’etat  by later sea deities and the  male dominated shipping commerce–especially in the 18th century.

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The oceans erroneously referred to as the “seven seas” are actually five:  Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern.  These “great waters” embody the principle of the sacred feminine as originator and sustainer of all planetary life so women should reclaim their right to journey there.  In ancient times, there were several sets of “seven seas” and this voyage will follow the Mediterranean Herculean Route along the cote d’azur from the port of Barcelona, Spain to Rome, Italy and on to Athens, Greece.

Traditionally, women have been considered trouble at sea but the Male Sailor needs to get over that.  There are many ways for a woman to experience the romance and adventure of the high seas (after carefully researching and assessing the risks, of course).

In a legend as old as time, a Fisherman Wife can wait on the wharf.

Or, have a Selfie Retreat in a cottage or beach resort.

Or, Work the Crew of a merchant or research vessel.

Or, be a Honeymoon Bride on a cruise.

There are several ports of call, including:

Stepping out at Monaco, and…

Sightseeing in Marseille.

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After arriving in Rome, an additional trip will return the ancient goddess to Athens Nightlife.  From here, one could cruise up the Dalmatian Coast of the Adriatic or depart on an island tour of the Aegean Sea.

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Our Seafaring Vagabond wants to explore the “Seven Seas” of the Black, Caspian, Arabian, Aegean, Red, Adriatic, and Indian Ocean.  There are high risks and rough spots ahead but she is going to ease into it by touring the islands of the Aegean:  precinct of the sun’s renown.  Elysium!!!

One must be confident, well-packed, and non-flirty to “step out on the waters”  and  go beyond.

Author: Nadine Jeffery

Spring Trends 2017

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Spring has just begun, so that means we must prepare for new fashion trends and styles.  No matter how many clothes you have in your closet, you’ve probably felt like you just can’t figure out what matches, or what really compliments each other. This is when monochromatic colors come into play.  Leave your dark colors in the fall, and switch to brighter & more fun monochromatic colors for spring. Next time when you don’t have time to put an outfit together, try putting some of the same color pieces together. It’ll save you the time and hassle, while still allowing you to look trendy.

It’s been awhile since we’ve seen mini skirts, now they’re back in season. Though, the weather isn’t too hot right now, that shouldn’t stop you from wearing a fashionable mini skirt. You can wear a mini skirt tomorrow and pair it with a simple pair of leggings. Denim skirts are also still trending. Any season is a great season to wear denim, but it just depends on how you dress it up ranging from overalls, jackets, jeans, and more.

Switch out your bomber jacket for a varsity jacket for when the spring weather tends to get confusing.  A blazer doesn’t have to always be used for formal occasions. Take an oversized blazer, button it all the way down, and you now have a trendy D.I.Y dress for the spring. Gingham is another print that’s coming back into style.  No, you won’t look like a walking tablecloth, this will be our new warm weather print. I believe yellow is the top color for this spring, all shades of yellow.  This color will get you noticed.  It brings on sunny rays with good vibes.

There’s no way you can fail with a matching set, for example, track suits have been worn by a couple celebrities throughout the week. You can also never go wrong with a graphic tee with bold statements, a shirtdress, a fanny pack, oversized clothes, fishnets, bright tights and much more. Basically, you can wear whatever defines Spring to you. Enjoy!

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Author: Lorraine Aryee

The Journey

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My name is Sofiane Hamadi. I was born in France on the periphery of Paris. Although I was very young, I was open to the culture of fashion. People were free to wear whatever they want where I grew up, such as: fancy sneakers with a suit or a tracksuit with some classic shoes. Well, I guess that my visual memory stocked all of those images somewhere in my brain. That may unconsciously explain the fact that today I find myself participating in the production of fashion show. I was focused all my life on soccer and business; I achieved a very good level of soccer and secured a bachelor’s degree in business management. I came to America to pursue my dream of becoming a businessman and playing soccer at a quite decent level. I love challenges and risks; that keeps my mind busy to always find solutions to achieve things on my “to do list”.  However, I have a crazy imagination and enjoy creating and trying new things. At first sight you might not like my fashion style because it is mostly sporty and I wear a lot of simple joggers, but I don’t really fancy to dress up and kind of show off  here since I have no reason to wear fancy clothes. Some days  I have to walk 4 miles to get to school; I prefer more the practical aspect.

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Aphrodite

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Aphrodite was the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty. She also represents affection, and the attraction that binds people together.  Two different stories explain the birth of Aphrodite. The first is simple: She was the child of Zeus and Dione. According to the second story, however, Aphrodite rose from the foam of the sea.  Aphrodite and her son Eros teamed up to cause Zeus to fall in love with a human named Europa.  Aphrodite loved Adonis. She saw him when he was born and determined then that he should be hers. She assigned Persephone to his care, but Persephone fell in love with Adonis also and would not give him back. Finally, Zeus had to mediate. He judged that Adonis should spend half the year with each.  Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena were the top three contenders for a gold apple marked “For the Fairest.” They asked Zeus to judge the contest, but he refused. Paris, son of the King of Troy, judged the contest instead. Each of the three goddesses promised him something in return; he chose Aphrodite as the winner of the apple. This story of the Judgment of Paris was considered to be the real reason behind the Trojan War.  During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris.  Aphrodite rescued Paris from Menelaus by enveloping him in a cloud and taking him back to Troy.

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For this year’s fashion show, Aphrodite will be representing the bridal scene. This is my last semester at GCC and I knew from the beginning I wanted to do the wedding scene. I am inspired by the magical feeling that you can feel within a wedding and it truly captures the beauty and affection of such a special moment. Your wedding day is an event that you will never forget!   My vision for my scene is to have my models looking like it’s there own wedding day. I want the audience to be able to feel the connection between each “bride” and “groom”. Being the last scene of the night, I want the audience leaving with a smile on there face. I hope that it will bring back the great memories some of the guests have experienced in their wedding.  The bridal gowns being used in the scene were donated from Dalia’s Bridal and M.A Carr Bridal, both located in Buffalo, NY.

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All the brides are wearing veils and flower crowns. I am hand making all of them! I had a busy spring break getting all my pieces put together.  Here is just a couple samples of my work so far.

 

All the males will be wearing tuxedos and I have been lucky enough to get some of them donated by Charles Men’s shop, located right here in Batavia.

I also decided I would like to feature bridesmaids, as well as the brides! The bridesmaid dresses being used have been donated from Jill Monroe, who is apart of the fashion advisory board and a fashion seamstress in Buffalo.  Also, four of the bridesmaid dresses have been created by designer, Meghan Hollister who is a high school student.

This is my first time doing a scene in this year’s fashion show and I am bettering my communication skill, teamwork techniques, and planning.  Planning an entire scene takes lots of patience and practice. Although it’s been very stressful, it’s so exciting to be able to gain the hands on experience in my career field that I love so much. I can’t wait to see the how the show turns out!

 

Author: Kourtney N. Shearer

Instagram: @kourtneyshearer

Twitter: @kourtneynicole7

Spring Dreams

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Imagine pajama day every day. Spring 2017 fashion is evolving with an atomic twist turning your night time attire into day time fashion. Are bathrobes the new trench coat? Take less time getting ready to go when you can leave in your bathrobe.  These new fashionable robes are being put to the test and mixed and matched with some of your fashion favs. The oversized house coat can be dressed up or dressed down and there are multiple styles such as plaid and solid colors. When wearing less  becomes more and your favorite pj’s become an important factor in your wardrobe that’s when spring dreams are born.  Turning the classic sleep gear into your runway coat is only the beginning of a new tradition.

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This fast pace lifestyle calls for a change in how to get ready. When wearing your inside clothing outside was never the thing to do it has become more convenient  and fashion friendly.  The trend to wear pajama like clothing outside would only result in the creation of the daytime bathrobe. Making dress up more fun and comfortable with this “evening” approach. The  night will forever be young.

Author: Breanne Butler