By Mackenzie Rossero, For The Miami Student
Miami University Fashion and Design hosted their 10th Annual Fashion Show on Saturday, April 16 in Millett Hall. This event marked their official transition from the Miami University Club of Fashion and Design to Miami University Fashion and Design.
The change, symbolized in the show's opening video featuring the destruction of the "C" in their former title, defines MUFD as more than a club.
In fall 2014, Miami introduced the fashion design minor, created through a collaboration of the art and business programs offered at Miami. A fashion co-major will be launched this fall.
As a result, MUFD now encompasses the fashion academic tracks in addition to the fashion and design club. As a result, the former name, MUCFD, is no longer appropriate.
The fashion show, Est. 2006, featured 20 student designers and 64 student models.
As the 10th anniversary of the MUFD annual fashion show, plenty of anticipation surrounded this year's production.
Sophomore Lisa Poyar, a designer and MUFD's creative director, is proud of the program's evolution and looks to the future.
"Being a part of the 10 year anniversary was such a great experience because you could see where the club started and what has grown into," said Poyar. "It makes the future of our organization extremely exciting."
This year's show had an audience of over 1,000 people, a high for the fashion show. All of the floor seats were occupied and spectators spilled into the raised seating. The show also grossed a higher profit than it has in past years, though the exact increase in revenue is not yet available.
Among the parents, friends and fashion-enthusiasts in the audience, MUFD alumni were also present and held reserved seats just off the runway.
One of the alumni was MUFD's 2009 president, Nikki Martinkovic. He graduated from Miami in 2009 and paved the way for the formation of Miami's fashion program by engineering her own fashion-focused academic track.
"It's really exciting to be back here and seeing what this has turned into," said Martinkovic. "I can only imagine where it can go."
The design committee begins preparation for the spring show early in the fall semester with the creation of mood boards and design sketches. These mood boards and sketches progress through the fall and spring semesters until their final products are created and modeled at the fashion show.
"Sometimes, it was the hardest, most annoying process ever because sewing machines act up and fabric gets caught or snagged," said sophomore Sarah Crum, designer for The Darker Side line. "Being the perfectionist that I am, I would have to redo differenta seams."
However, Crum admits that it is incredibly rewarding for her work to be showcased for everyone to see.
"[The show] is very overwhelming, in the best way," said Crum. "An entire year of work is just standing there, looking hot as ever, right in front of you. It comes and goes so quickly for the tremendous amount of work that we put into it, but it's all worth it. Then, you just hold onto that feeling until next year when you get to do it all over again."
With the donations received this year, specifically those made by Cintas, MUFD has been able to help their designers with the cost of fabric and provide necessary equipment like sewing machines, buttons and zippers. Looking forward, they will also be able to afford an raised runway for their show next spring.
Madeline Rieman, MUFD's current president, spoke of the program's new recognition while introducing the fashion show. The program no longer identifies solely as a club. Now, MUFD has an academic presence as well.
"[MUFD] is no longer a club- we are much, much more," said Rieman. "Miami is known for many things: the beautiful campus, the amazing business school, Miami Mergers. It's never been known for fashion. We have finally changed that."