It looks like New York fashion week has come to San Marcos as a student-organized fashion show prepares for the runway.
The Fashion Merchandising Association will be hosting their semiannual fashion show April 12 titled, “Spring.”
FMA is an organization open to anyone who is interested in learning more about fashion and the business behind it. Each semester, the organization hosts a fashion show to showcase local retailers and student designers.
The previous show last November had a large audience and tickets were sold out by the morning of the show. Held in the Kissing Alley which is located on the Square the show was so packed it reached full-capacity with some guests left standing.
Kasandra Arteaga, president of FMA and fashion merchandising senior, said FMA is searching for a bigger location based on the attendance from last year. Finding a location for the show is the first step in the planning and requires the help of the city of San Marcos.
“FMA has always wanted to work with the city, so we were excited to get work with them and have our show at the courthouse this year,” Arteaga said.
Brooke Newell, fashion merchandising and marketing senior, is in charge of securing the location and obtaining the clothes for the fashion show. Newell said retailers and student designers are contacted and invited to submit pieces to be included in the show. Student stylists then pick out outfits from the retailers while student designers submit their work.
The last show utilized retailers from San Marcos, San Antonio and Austin. This year’s retailers include Monkies Vintage and Thrift, River Rose, Two P’s and Calli’s and Vogue. Each retailer will contribute 10-12 looks for the show.
The student designers that contribute to the show design, sew and assemble their own clothing. This year, two student designers will be contributing to the show.
Roxie Guajardo, fashion merchandising senior, will be a student designer. Guajardo combines her two biggest passions: helping the environment and fashion. Her designs are up-cycled, which means she buys clothes from thrift stores and uses the material to create something new.
“The reason for up-cycling is fashion is ranked number two in world pollution and I want to try to minimize that footprint in the world,” Guajardo said. “So I go out and look for old stuff to reconstruct into new things.”
To cast the models, FMA hosted open-castings at the recreation center in September and February. In total, 34 models were selected to walk the runway for the show.
Most models from the last show returned. For returning model Maki Tachana, fashion merchandising junior, it has become an event she hopes to participate in each year.
“This was my first-time modeling,” said Tachana. “(The audition included) us going in and walking for the FMA board so they could see how we walked, then they took polaroids of our face, then a full body.”
Newell hopes the audience will notice the hard work and effort the team and herself put into the show.
“I think there (are) a lot of small and cool retailers that make up the community here in San Marcos, Austin, and San Antonio,” Newell said. “I really hope people see their passion, my passion, and the passion of the people that love coming together to put on the show.”
Tickets for the fashion show go on sale March 12 and can be purchased on the official page.