AUSTIN, TexasOriginal clothing designs created by students in the Division of Textiles and Apparel will be featured at the 2002 Fashion Spectacular on April 18 in the Frank Erwin Center. The fashion show is organized each year by the University Fashion Group.
Students will display 170 designs for men, women and children in a colorful event that features a string quartet, creative choreography and special lighting effects.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. This year’s show is titled “Opus: A Creation of Color Line and Form.”
The Division of Textiles and Apparel is part of the College of Natural Sciences’ Department of Human Ecology. Dr. Catherine Surra, who chairs the department, explained, “The show is an exciting display of just how talented and bright our students are and how much they can accomplish when they go through an excellent program of study.”
This year’s primary financial support for the show is from the University Co-op. George H. Mitchell, Co-op CEO, will present the awards. Mitchell said: “I have been tremendously impressed by this production: the professionalism, the dedication of the students, the quality of the designs, the fabrics, the music, the staging everything.”
Other sponsors include MAC Makeup Pink Salon and Gallery, News 8, MEGA 93.3 and Oldies 103.
Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, will open the event.
“Spectacular is the perfect name for this event,” Rankin said. “It is truly a superb, highly professional showcase of student achievement beautiful designs, skillfully rendered and presented in a terrific, dynamic show.
“It always makes me very proud.” Rankin said the show is an important part of student training in fashion design, providing real-life experience to participants.
Officials with the Division of Textiles and Apparel say the training pays off in terms of career success. For example, last year’s winner of the award for “Best Collection of the Year” was Carin Lynch. Lynch was hired by designer Vera Wang. Wang also employs Loc Phanz, who was graduated from The University of Texas at Austin program nine years ago.
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University graduate Jennifer Smith is working at Ann Klein, while Janie Chang works with Liz Claiborne. Other highly successful graduates from the Department of Human Ecology include Tara Dayo at Equipment, Tanya Wilson at Rene Lang and Kathryn Morris at Chaiken.
“This experience is real life,” said Suzie Rapp, president of the University Fashion Group and a senior apparel design major. “Learning all the elements that go into putting this show together makes us more confident about entering the fashion world.”
Lisa Roebuck, one of last year’s seniors now working for Betsey Johnson in New York said, “The organization of Betsey Johnson’s Fashion Show was very similar to that of the UT Fashion Show.”
Students enrolled in the program have had excellent opportunities to intern with prominent fashion concerns. There are University of Texas at Austin student interns working at Betsey Johnson and Susan Dell in New York. In the recent past, student interns have worked in apparel design at Halston, The Limited, Oleg Cassini, Johnny Blaze, Design Works international, Philip Treacy in London, Liz Claiborne and Elle Magazine in New York.
The event gained national recognition in 2001 when covered by the Style Network’s educational Web site. Style Network will also feature this year’s fashion show. More than 2,000 people attended this past year’s show.
For further information, contact Eve Nicols (512) 471-3230.
