“Lights, Camera…Fashion!” blends style and real-world experience

An April 13 fashion show will showcase the work of Carson-Newman University students. The school’s Fashion Merchandising and Design (FMD) program will host “Lights, Camera…Fashion!” in Holt Fieldhouse at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.

Free and open to the public, the red-carpet event will feature original garments by FMD students, alumni, as well as merchandise from local retailers.

Dr. Amber Roth, associate professor of Family and Consumer Sciences, says the fashion show is tied to a course called “Fashion Show Production,” which allows students to gain valuable hands-on experience.

“The entire process of planning, implementing, and evaluating a fashion show is a collaborative process,” explained Roth. “I hope by the end of the course that students have gained an appreciation for the amount of time and effort that goes into an undertaking such as this.”

Students develop a budget, create a theme and enact a promotional plan. “Communicating with stakeholders, vendors, and members of the public are all transferable skills they can utilize after graduation regardless of their career path,” said Roth. “Having the time now to learn how to navigate these things before going out into the ‘real world’ is an invaluable opportunity.”

Roth says attention to all aspects in the planning phase is important. “We were very deliberate in our model selection,” she explained. “We want all shapes, sizes, genders, and ethnicities (represented) to celebrate Carson-Newman’s student body and the beauty of God’s people.

But beyond an entertaining event, Roth says she wants her students to see the accomplishment as gratifying. “I hope that my students have fun and look back on the experience with satisfaction knowing that they’ve created something amazing.”