Colorado State University students present annual apparel design show, ‘Beyond the Surface’

Fashionistas and fans of style can preview leading designers of the future at the Colorado State University apparel design show. The show, put on by the Department of Design and Merchandising, is slated for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21, in the University Center for the Arts Griffin Concert Hall, 1400 Remington St.

Apparel design and merchandising students plan and produce the show, which also features 16 original student collections. The show allows the public to view senior projects that include a range of designs from wedding gowns to cocktail and formal apparel to casual clothing. Graduates from the department move on to be successful interns and designers at well-known companies such as Billabong, Volcom, Spyder, The Row, Diane von Furstenberg, Nanette Lepore, Marchesa, Proenza Schouler and other famous brands.

Also featured in this year’s show are garments made from parachutes used by U.S. military troops. The parachutes cannot be reused by the military; students are repurposing the parachute fabric by using them in original apparel designs. Garments made from parachutes include wedding dresses, gowns, cocktail dresses, jackets and casual clothing.

The show, called “Beyond the Surface,” has limited seating of 550 attendees per night. Both evenings will include three performances throughout the show by hip-hop artist “Black Prez” and his DJ, “T-Bone.” Black Prez is the stage name used by Josh Madry, a CSU master’s student in education and human resource studies.

Saturday evening, a VIP dinner and reception will be held before the show from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the University Center for the Arts.

Tickets for the show only, both evenings, are $10 per student or $15 per adults, and $7 for youth 12 years old and younger. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Saturday’s VIP dinner tickets also include reserved seating at the show and are available for $60 each. Tickets are available at www.CSUartstickets.com.

As part of the events celebrating the apparel show, the Department of Design and Merchandising also will host 100 selected high school students on Friday, April 20, for behind-the-scenes views of event-night preparations for the show, including hair and makeup, a tour of the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising and the museum’s collection of apparel and design artifacts, a campus tour and an opportunity to work on three hands-on apparel and design projects.

The Department of Design and Merchandising is in the College of Applied of Human Sciences.
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