fashion Archives

The Visual Narrations of Selah Marie

Brooke Nicholson | June 11, 2020

Topics: fashion, modeling, photographer, photography, portrait photography, Selah Marie

Richmond portrait photographer Selah Marie started out as a model, but it was only when she got behind the camera that she truly found her calling in life.

You never know what you’ll fall into. Even if you have a clear goal for what you want to do, things can happen that lead you in a different direction entirely. For Richmond-based photographer Selah Marie, this was definitely the case. When she realized modeling might not be her calling, she tried stepping behind the camera instead and found that it came naturally for her. The results were enough to make her forget about her original goal of fashion modeling for good.

“I always had a camera, ever since I was younger, and I’ve always taken pictures. But I didn’t find it to be my passion until 2015,” she explains. “I guess when I used to watch America’s Next Top Model and stuff like that, I wanted to be a model. But when I got in front of someone else’s camera, that went… not how I expected it to go. After looking at the images of myself, I was like, ‘Oh no, I can’t do this.’”

Marie found that her lifelong dream wasn’t what she was meant to do with her life. But she soon found a new passion, seemingly by accident, only landing on photography after she began playing around with a camera and wanting to learn how to shoot.

“Let me just pick up a camera and figure it out,” she says, describing her thought process at the time. “And then I just reached out to some models, and I was just like… shooting.”

While photographing individuals from the area, portrait photography gradually became a primary focus for Marie. Photographing a single person and creating unique photos became a discipline she wanted to perfect. It’s not her only interest as a photographer — there are other areas she hopes to dive into, as she explained.

“Oh my God, fashion. That’s one of the things I’m trying to get into, as far as practicing,” says Marie. “However, my comfort zone is portraits.”

While portrait photography is a common specialty in the world of photography, Marie differs from others when it comes to the ways she composes her shots. Natural props like flowers have become a staple of her photography, and she loves the aesthetic of film, although mastering it was challenging to her at first, because she had to learn how to recreate that aesthetic through digital means.

“[The models] were like, ‘Oh my God, did you shoot with a film camera?’ But no, I don’t have one,” she says of her process. “I would use the grains to add texture, because I wasn’t that familiar with Photoshop. So I would just replace it with grain to make the image look like it has more texture in the skin.”

Learning the skills of photographic composition was challenging enough, but one of Marie’s biggest challenges came from learning how to use the equipment she was given. While cell phones have made photographers out of everyone, understanding the high-end Nikons and Canons that professionals use can prove to be difficult at first.

“When I first started shooting in the daylight, the sun would be too much. So my images would be overly exposed,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, what is going on here?’ That was one of the hardest challenges for me, trying to shoot daylight. [For a while,] I was really stuck in the studio.”

Marie eventually mastered adapting to changing surroundings, and has since branched out of portrait photography, capturing graduation and wedding photos.

“I’m just now starting to let people know that I do more than what they see on my main page. I just started putting up the graduation photos and engagement photos, because I want people to know that I do everything,” she says. “I’m a creative photographer, but I can do your engagement shoot.”

While it was never her original goal, these days Marie hopes to build a future for herself in the world of photography, and she’s even thinking about moving into the world of video.

“I do see it being long term,” she says. “I can’t go full time [yet], but I do see that down the road. I also see me being behind the scenes of movies, sharing my ideas with directors and seeing the things I create inside the movie. That’s one of my other goals as well.”

Photography doesn’t come easy when you just happen to fall into it, but Marie has been lucky to do something with her work that is not only beneficial for the people she shoots, but for her as well. Marie knows that her photography not only helps those in front of her camera open up, but gives her the creative outlet to express herself as well.

“Everybody tells me the same thing: how I make them feel when they’re in front of my camera,” she says. “They will tell me that I make them feel more confident than ever in front of a camera, or even away from it. Like, I made them feel so beautiful. And then, when I show them the image, they’re like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe she made me look like this.’ Just to see the smile on my client’s face or a model’s face, their reaction lights up my world. That’s my favorite part — that’s what keeps me going.”

All photos by Selah Marie

The Dorm Room Hustle: Owning Fashion Companies in College

Kaitlin Edwardson | March 11, 2020

Topics: anthony moody, art, business, college, community, e.xclusively, erin watton, exclusively, fashion, fashion in richmond va, JMU, john mcgrinder, local business, redeemed generation, renegade sports, richmond va, richmond va clothing brands, richmond va local business, RVA, things to do richmond va, University of Richmond, vcu, virginia clothing brands, virginia fashion

Whether it starts as a side gig or a passionate new business, college students around the country are opening brands of their own before graduation.

College students are not just students anymore. Many students around the country have jobs on top of their schoolwork to earn extra money. Some work as college tour guides, some work in school offices, and others have off-campus jobs. About 81 percent of undergraduate part-time students and 43 percent of undergraduate full-time students are employed, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

With tuition, books, meal plans, and additional costs, college is expensive. Luckily for Erin Watton, John McGrinder, and Anthony Moody, they work right out of their rooms — running fashion and apparel companies by themselves.

21-year-old Erin Watton, who hails from Milwaukee, WI, is currently a junior at the University of Richmond, and the sole talent behind e.xclusively: a hand-painted apparel company that sells custom painted designs on anything, including denim jackets and handbags for any occasion.

Watton started e.xclusively after spilling ink on her favorite sweatshirt in printmaking class during her freshman year of college. “After covering up the ink with painted stars, I sent a photo to my friends,” Watton said. “They loved the sweatshirt, and begged me to paint theirs. Soon after, I realized I could create a small business out of this painting venture.”

e.xclusively officially started in the summer of 2018. Although Watton was working in retail at the time, she wanted more experience in fashion and marketing. “Because I had no experience of my own to offer in an internship, I created a learning experience for myself,” she said. “I have gained so much experience owning my own business, and I love doing it. If you can do something now and love it, why wait?”

Watton advertises her products through her Instagram, Pinterest, and website. “In the fashion industry, user-generated content and word-of-mouth are how people learn and trust brands,” she said. “For me, when my clients post photos in their custom, hand-painted pieces, their followers trust my business and may even follow along on social media, or purchase a piece themselves.”

With the growth of social media, Watton believes that 2020 is a great time to run a business as a student. New entrepreneurs can decrease their overhead expenses, reach people within their target audience quickly, and gain instant feedback on their products and services as well as content they produce, she said.

Being a student is time-consuming, but Watton has found a balance between classes and work. When she isn’t in class, she is either at a client consultation, sketching and painting designs, posting Instagram content, or updating her website. “When I’m working on e.xclusively, it could be five minutes spent on a social media post or five hours spent painting,” she said. “It definitely depends on my schedule, my orders, and what my goals are at the moment.”

John McGrinder is another student who runs his own business while managing classes and extracurriculars. Originally from Downingtown, PA, McGrinder is a sophomore at James Madison University, and the mind behind Renegade Sports.

Renegade Sports, a sports-focused apparel company, started in 2016 in McGrinder’s sophomore year of high school. The idea for the company arose from a class project with a friend, and was originally called Seal Team Sports.

“My friend Evan knew I was involved in graphic design for sports Instagram pages for fun, but he asked me if I wanted to help him with a new project for his class,” McGrinder said. “I absolutely loved working with sports and designing, and it was a fun way to set aside some extra money for school while doing something I loved.”

Similar to Watton, McGrinder mainly advertises his business through his Instagram. Most of his work is done on his phone or iPad because he makes the designs himself. “I have them with me in case I have an idea for a design while out on the go or at home,” he said. “With big brands like Barstool Sports out there, I always try to get my ideas onto my products and website as fast as possible, to be the first out there with my idea on a certain trend,” he said.

McGrinder has a busy schedule as a student, but he finds time between classes at JMU and work to make designs. “I really work best when I’m inspired by a new player or trending team,” he said. “Not every day for me is involved with creating a design, but I’m always checking on my site, tracking sales, and keeping my eye on the sports world for new ideas.”

Running a store in 2020 as a student allows McGrinder to use his brand as a creative outlet. On top of gaining experience, it allowed him to get involved in marketing before learning about it in any of his major-related classes.

Renegade Sports also helped open doors into the marketing world as this past summer. McGrinder worked with the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 MVP, Von Miller, in creating some mock-ups for a shirt to commemorate his 100th sack in this past season. “Overall, running Renegade Sports has been so valuable to me in exploring business and marketing, but also in allowing myself to be more creative outside of schoolwork,” he said.

Another entrepreneur student, University of Richmond sophomore Anthony Moody, owns and operates his clothing company, Redeemed Generation. Moody started his brand when he was 13, and it has been steadily growing ever since.

Moody’s day starts and ends with marketing, which he believes is the most important part of the business. “It’s all about connecting with influencers, commenting on posts, interacting with followers, and building the brand,” he said. “It makes a big difference when companies are active on Instagram, and have a page that really showcases the brand — so that’s really crucial for me.”

In addition to running all the marketing for his business on his Instagram and website, Moody also makes and prints everything in his room. “My room is full of presses, dryers, and paint, because I make it all,” he said. “I’m actually looking for a small office where I’ll be able to work. With the way the business has grown in terms of sales and inventory, it’s a lot to keep in my room.”

*Photo via Redeemed Generation on Instagram*

Moody originally found his love for art in elementary school, but pencils and paper weren’t enough for him. Being a student and a business owner has been a challenge, and the balance has been one of the most difficult things, “It’s worth it,” he said. “It’s my passion, and it’s what I love doing.”

In addition to Redeemed Generation, Moody also prints clothes for outside groups like dance teams and class reunions. “With all the materials and machines I have in my room, as well as the skills I’ve gained from Redeemed Generation, expanding to print clothes for other people was not that big of a challenge,” he said.

Redeemed Generation is mainly based out of Moody’s dorm room, because the presses and machines make it hard to travel in terms of production. His ideas and art, on the other hand, are constantly on his mind — regardless of where he is.

“My brand has become my life,” he said. “A lot of people around me always plan and take on so much, working solely to build their resume. I just make clothes because I love them, and it’s a way for me to express myself.”

Overall, these three students are just a small glimpse into the larger world of student business owners. Students everywhere are starting their own companies on top of their already-stressful college lives. It’s time we give these students the recognition they deserve. While they’re going to class, doing homework, and writing papers, they’re also running the companies of the future.

Top Photo via e.xclusively on Instagram

Op-Ed: Your Footwear Is Killing My Country

Phil Ford | October 3, 2019

Topics: divided country, fashion, flip-flops, shoes

Guest writer Phil Ford comes to us with dire warnings of a great scourge plaguing our sadly divided nation: flip-flops.

There is an antagonism we are experiencing in our great nation that has had many suspects in the lineup: race, religion, socio-economics - - but the truth is far simpler. I have found the lynchpin of America’s divisiveness.

An almost caustic sound, especially when dragged across an apartment complex parking lot. The steady puffy plastic drag across smooth asphalt has all the charm of scraping a fork across teeth. The coup de grace is the familiar, accented punctuation of the inevitable popping sound of the plastic heel smacking the flesh heel in a high five. We are, of course, talking about the American flip-flop.

Sure, the thong sandal has been around for thousands of years, and can be quite comfortable while poolside enjoying a whiskey sour. There has been a great abuse over the last number of years, though, and flip-flops have now become the Donald Trump tweet of footwear in the United States. Frankly, it’s embarrassing.

On any visit to the upscale mall where a P.F. Chang’s or Brazilian Steakhouse resides, one notices that this phenomenon of foam rubber has become quite the trend with the lack-of-tread-setter. People will wear flip-flops with anything. Punk dudes with a face full of piercings, sleeve tattoos, offensive t-shirts, and tight-crotched jeans wear them. Beautiful twenty-something women in fully Gapped fashion-wear don dainty little flip-flops with gaudy pink plastic flowers on the strap. And I swear there is a tween scene sporting oversized platform shoe versions called “Kiss-Flops” that keep such rail-thin children from blowing over in strong winds.

I have witnessed studs in Abercrombie and Fitch, Fight Club glasses, and hundred-dollar buzz cuts dragging their feet through food courts in Nike streamlined glider-flops. No matter where you go, the odds are about two in four that you are going to be seeing gnarly toes exposed to the elements and restrained via the flip-flop.

*Photo by* *Rui Silvestre* on *Unsplash*

As much money as we Americans are willing to spend on war, Mar-a-Lago golf weekends, and looking good, one could certainly expect us to put a little investment into a nice pair of shoes. It is almost as if people started from the top, applied all sorts of nifty and expensive hair products, worked their way all the way down with the latest trendy apparel, reached the lower calves, and then just gave up. This is a mistake. Feet are the equivalent of the 99 percent of us, the average citizen. They keep us all grounded, and we should respect that.

We have gotten lazy in the foot, and much the same as with our inability to create a meaningful dialogue between our opposing points of view, we seem to accept this. We are quite happy to drag toe around in the archlessness, the lack of contour, the lack of backbone. Why?

People have spent all this time and money to achieve that certain special “look.” Then they have petered out below the ankles. Come on; finish that fashion thought you had. I know you can do it if you just apply yourself. You would think in this fear-driven age, where terrorism or natural disaster could spark at any moment, you would want to have a nice pair of shoes on in case of potential danger. If a levee breaks in your neighborhood, or an active shooter is nearby, where are you going to be? That’s right — up shit-flop creek.

Flip-flops as regular footwear are like true love on Bachelorette reality television, or barbecue Becky phone calls: signs of the decline of Western Civilization. Now, it’s one thing if you are making your way toward a source of water for swimming, or using a public shower at a campground, or even taking trash to the curb. I’m not saying you can’t wear them if you are, say, Jimmy Buffet and you have a matching Cheeseburger in Paradise hula shirt.

But if you are going to be attending anything public that requires walking, there is no excuse for it. Much like Fox News as a reliable news source, it has no merit. You can try and doll it up as much as you like — make them sporty brown with two sets of buckles, like you would even attempt to hike with them. Or decorate the plastic toe straps with butterflies, or cubic zirconium jewels. Regardless, they are still as unattractive and uninspired as Mitch McConnell at a healthcare fair. There is no arch support, certainly no finesse, and absolutely no sex appeal. Flip-flops have all the social dignity of mononucleosis.

It’s fall, for Pete’s sake. And if proper clothing etiquette can demand turning up one’s nose at white after Labor Day, surely there is something to be said in the Hoyle’s Book of Fashion for these unsavory foot disasters. In this age of concern about white teeth, toned bodies, climate change, and clothes, we can’t be bothered to put on a pair of real shoes?

Plus, face it, toes are really fucking ugly.

Look, I don’t want to seem like a curmudgeon. I’m all for expressing yourself and looking like you just stepped off the fashion page. But let’s get something straight right now: flip-flops are not cool. They may be totally nifty at water areas, but when you are wearing them regularly as “your shoe,” then you need five gay men to come in and set you straight, or at least a friend to tell you how wrong you are for wearing them as habitual footwear.

Flip-flops are at the very root of our downfall. In order to have a sustainable society, you need a strong foundation. Otherwise, it’s just empty rhetoric; another dummy with gorgeous hair and teeth, but no stability. I’m just looking out for the best interest of Americans when I say this: take your power of pride and get some sneakers, or at least some loafers. Then we can once again come together as citizens and rally against this common enemy of our feet and our nation.

Now, let’s get cracking on that Crocs issue…

Note: Op-Eds are contributions from guest writers and do not reflect RVA Magazine editorial policy.

Top Photo by Dhruv Deshmukh on Unsplash

Bringing Slow Fashion To A Fast World

Emma North | July 29, 2019

Topics: Carytown, Deboarah Boschen, fashion, Pink, richmond arts district, slow fashion, Verdalina

In an era of cheap, disposable garments with shadowy origins, Richmond boutique Verdalina focuses on sustainability and personal connection.

“I love to look at the inside of clothes and see everything so beautifully finished,” said Deborah Boschen, owner of the clothing store Verdalina. “This is the stuff that excites me… I love something like this that’s crisp and classic.”

As Deborah Boschen holds up and explains her current favorite pieces of clothing from her store, you can tell that she not only has valuable fashion experience but is also passionate about the clothes she is selling.

Every piece inside of Verdalina has been carefully curated by Boschen and her team to present a clean and calming aesthetic that still is shockingly beautiful. With a variety of clothing ranging from simple and clean pieces made with linens and cotton to stunning sequined dresses, Verdalina has an undeniable wow-factor.

Boschen has been working in retail for over 30 years, and Verdalina has been her passion for the last six years. Verdalina is a boutique clothing store located at the corner of Broad Street and North Monroe Street in the Richmond Arts District.

Boschen was bit by the fashion bug when she was living in Los Angeles in 1980, and since then, all of her business adventures have been inspired by the emergence of small boutiques on Melrose Avenue. “I loved the idea of a speciality boutique that was intimate in that way, as opposed to going into a department store,” said Boschen.

Upon moving back to Richmond in 1987, Boschen met Suzanne Hammes, the manager of The Pink Cadillac, a women’s clothing and gift boutique in Carytown. Together they began to plan the opening of their own women’s clothing store. When Hammes went to resign from The Pink Cadillac the owner offered to sell his store to them and they jumped on the offer.

Hammes, Boschen’s original business partner, sold her share to Libby Sykes in 1992, and Boschen and Sykes changed the name to Pink and continued to run their business out of that Carytown location. Over the 25 years Boschen was running Pink, she witnessed Carytown blossom into its current form. She also saw her own style grow and evolve. After leaving Pink, Boschen set her sights on a new emerging neighborhood for her next project. “I didn’t want to be back in Carytown,” said Boschen. “That felt like going backwards, in a way.”

When Verdalina opened in the Arts District almost six years ago, most of the neighborhood’s activity was coming from local art galleries. As with Carytown, the neighborhood has really evolved in the time she’s been there. “It was fun to be part of Carytown’s growth, and I thought this would be the same,” said Boschen. “And it has happened — retail has moved in, lots of restaurants have moved in, and I found this beautiful corner space with lots of light.”

Boschen created her store for a particular type of customer. Verdalina has been designed to fit a more mature woman, and represents Boschen’s personal style and needs. Her ideal customer is typically older than 40. “She still looks good and wants to dress fashionable, but she has different needs than when she was younger,” said Boschen. “She wants her arms covered, she wants her legs covered.”

Boschen allows her personal taste to guide her as she goes to market looking for pieces to sell in her store. Boschen’s closet is entirely composed of clothing from Verdalina.

In addition to her own instincts, she works with her team to determine what she should carry, and always keeps her best customers in mind. Verdalina’s customers are given Boschen’s cell phone number, and she keeps them updated with texts and pictures of new things coming into the store. She wants all of her customers to love what they buy and love wearing it.

Verdalina is not a store that follows trends; instead, it focuses on high quality and a “slow fashion” model. Fast fashion is cheap and rapidly produced clothing for mass production; slow fashion focuses on high-quality goods that last. Slow fashion is a more sustainable production model, and also allows designers to work directly with manufacturers.

Boschen became aware of the stark contrasts between fast and slow fashion six years ago when she visited an H&M for the first time. She had come across a completely lined and tailored jacket being sold for $29 while her completely lined and tailored jackets at Pink were being sold at around $450. “I knew there was a problem,” she said. “Someone wasn’t getting paid, and I figured of course it has to be the workers. It shocked me, because I had never witnessed that.”

The clothing sold at Verdalina all comes from sustainably-sourced brands. “I like clothes that are designed well, made well with the best textiles, and built to last,” Boschen said. “They’re not throw-away clothes.”

Verdalina is located downtown in Richmond’s Arts District, at 325 W. Broad St. Follow them on instagram @verdalina, or see their online catalog at verdalina.com.

Photos by Emma North

Tierra Caliente: Stepping Into Another Culture With Solana

Jimmy O'Keefe | June 21, 2019

Topics: Carolina DM, fashion, Mexico, shoes, Solana, Stone brewing, Yasmine Idriss

This Saturday at Stone Brewing, Solana brings a taste of Mexico to Richmond fashions.

This Saturday at Stone Brewing, Solana will be launching a new collection that put the spotlight on Mexico at an all-day pop-up event. Solana is a shoe brand that uses the power of art to promote worldwide solidarity and cultural understanding. Based in New York, Solana travels the world collaborating with local artists to design shoes that highlight cultures and places that are too often overlooked or misunderstood.

Founder Yasmine Idriss’ travels throughout the world inspired her to start Solana. “I was born in the US, grew up in the Middle East, and was educated in Europe before university in the States,” she said. “By the time I turned 20 years old, I had already visited nearly 40 countries.”

Today, Idriss still continues to venture all across the globe. She says that Solana is a way for her to share her experiences with the world and inspire a love of traveling in others. The shoes are a medium by which artists working with Solana can share a slice of their culture with the world.

“The goal is ultimately for people to hear these stories and step into another culture,” Idriss said.

The debut collection of shoes from Solana featured artists from Lebanon. “Lebanon has been war-torn for almost 50 consecutive years, and yet life goes on,” Idriss told the Del Mar Times. “People are cheerful and, despite a permanent nostalgia that you feel when talking with the Lebanese, they are always hopeful.”

Sales from the Lebanon collection helped Solana to give back to an NGO that educates Syrian refugees in Akkar, Lebanon.

The brand will shift its attention on Saturday with the launch of its Mexico collection. “We chose Mexico for our second collection after visiting Mexico City and falling in love with the place,” Idriss said. “It was raw and beautiful. We saw bright colors mixed with a darker side that’s somewhat like the inside of a heart.”

The Stone Brewing pop-up event will feature seven shoes and seven shirts. After a call for submissions, the collection’s artists were picked once Solana conducted a vote that thousands participated in. “We were overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of submissions,” Idriss said. “We used the public vote and our own panel’s votes to choose the final designs.”

*Carolina DM’s Tierra Caliente shoe. Image courtesy Solana*

Ultimately 14 artists, ranging geographically from Baja in Mexico’s northwest to Yucatan Peninsula in the country’s southeast, are featured in the collection. Though Idriss compares picking a favorite shoe to picking a favorite child, she is willing to grant “Tierra Caliente” the title of her favorite shoe in the collection. Designed by the artist Carolina DM, the shoe symbolizes the past, present, and future of Mexico.

“This shoe is what we endured, what we dream about, what we live day to day in our country,” the artist said. “This illustration is for Mexico, my Mexico.”

Having spent six weeks traveling throughout Mexico, Idriss hopes that the collection helps to promote a greater understanding of the country. “I think for the average American, Mexico is a place people go on vacation and a place where their workers come from. That’s the sad truth,” Idriss said. “At worst, when vilified, it’s seen as a dirty or dangerous place.”

With Solana’s Mexico collection, Idriss hopes that she can tell a more accurate story about a place that is often misunderstood and misrepresented in the United States. “If you want to know someone, you have to step into their shoes, to walk their path, to see with their eyes,” Idriss said.

Aside from the Solana shoes, Saturday’s pop-up event at Stone will feature food, live music, and craft beer. Stone Brewing will also be announcing the lineup for Throw Down in RVA, a music festival hosted by Stone on Brown’s Island in September.

“To tell the most authentic story possible, a lot of time has gone into producing these shoes and shirts,” Idriss said. “It’ll also be just about one year since the launch of our debut collection in Beirut, so we’ll be celebrating no matter what.”

The celebration will take place at Stone Brewing’s Richmond location, at 4300 Williamsburg Ave. in Rockett’s Landing, from 12 noon til 9 PM on Saturday, June 22. For more info, click here.

VCUarts Fashion Brings A Lovely Shimmer To Main Street Station

Sydney Lake | May 2, 2019

Topics: fashion, fashion designers, Main Street Station, Shimmer, vcu fashion, VCUarts, VCUarts Fashion Show

The annual VCUarts Fashion Show is catwalking into its 50th year.

This dean’s-level event is well-attended, not only by students but by members of the community and esteemed guests as well. It will be held at the Train Shed at Main Street Station on Wednesday, May 8 for the second year in a row, according to Patricia Brown, chair of the VCUarts department of fashion design and merchandising.

The show has been hosted at a variety of venues over the years, both big and small. Most recently the VCUarts Fashion Show was hosted at the VMFA, but in the last couple of years, the department developed a need for a larger space.

“This venue gives us more space,” Brown said. “We have more room, which creates its own challenges, but I think it’s a really great dramatic space to have it in.”

*Photo: Steven Casanova.* *Designer: Johana Nasreen*

Among the guests filling the Train Shed will be design duo Abdul Abasi and Greg Rosborough, whose pieces, Brown said, have reinvented the men’s suit with a utilitarian take. VCUarts alum and fashion illustrator Richard Haines will also be flown in from New York to see the show.

In an effort to have a more straightforward show, the number of designs shown will be limited to around 125, as opposed to last year’s nearly 175. The department aims to keep the show around an hour, Brown said.

Of the approximately 125 designs to be shown, most junior and senior design students will be represented, along with the expertise of merchandising students, who comprise the majority of the 360-strong department. The show will feature women’s sportswear, dresses, menswear, denim, embellishment/luxury, and surface design, all created by hand or with the assistance of industry-standard machinery.

The VCUarts Fashion Show is juried, and garments are selected by a group of local fashion businesses and influencers. A mix of fashion industry people and retailers including Ledbury, Alton Lane, Frances Kahn, and Pam Reynolds are just a few members of the 12-person jury who will be judging the show. Working with their assessments, they will come down to final number of pieces for the show.

Not only is the show juried by local fashion icons, but it is also locally sponsored.

“The community is really supportive of our show,” Brown said. “We’re so thankful. We have a lot of gratitude for their support.”

*Photo: Steven Casanova. Designer: Conner Karlen*

To celebrate its 50th year, the show has been dubbed “Shimmer,” a title bearing a triple meaning.

“It was alluding to the celebratory feeling of it being the 50th anniversary,” Brown said. “But, it also has a little nod to modern shimmer technology, and just being more tech-forward. And also, the shimmering faces of graduating students who are showing their work.”

This dean’s-level event can be viewed in-person or by livestream this year. Tickets are available for purchase online starting at $30, with discounts available for fashion students and their families.

“For this year, we will have a much broader range of prices for show seats,” Brown said. “While we need to keep some of the higher cost front-row seats in order to cover our costs, attending the show can also be more affordable this year.”

The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at the Train Shed in Main Street Station. For more information, visit the VCUarts website.

Top Photo: Steven Casanova. Designer: Maryam Al-Majid