On March 9th at 5 pm, the second annual Normal West Fashion Show took place in the high school auditorium.
At 4 pm, there was a vendor market in 150AB, consisting of vendors selling fashion-related items. Some of the vendors included a prom dress shop, Apricot Lane, and Stay Another Day, (a mental health awareness program).
The 40 members, (80 if you include staff and parent helpers), were committed to putting together the fashion show.
“I went immediately into planning about a week after March of last year. I got started, and I’ve been working on it every day,” the head designer/director, Senior Kyle Tidaback remarked.
Last year, the theme for the show was “A New Beginning” because it was the first fashion show to take place at Normal West.
“It’s a new beginning to see another side of interest of people who really don’t get the chance to showcase [it],” Tidaback claimed.
This year’s theme was “Together in Paris.” Viewers saw more classical, whimsical, Parisian, and tourist-themed clothing.
While watching, some may have wondered where the designers had gotten their inspiration.
“Most of [the] designers [got inspired] from previous work they’ve done… If they’ve created something in their sewing class, at home, or have an outfit they like, they will base it off that and add their spin to it,” Tidaback explained.
Some designers even had a sketchbook where they could create their designs. Many designers created their garments from scratch, but a good portion of them thrifted items and then deconstructed the material to make their own.
Although FCS teacher Mrs. Jackson Suddarth provided some material, the group lacked the funds to provide all the fabric, so many designers had to get their own. However, Tidaback and Suddarth pitched in with money to anyone who needed help with getting materials.
Tidaback originally proposed a fashion show during his sophomore year because he had all these garments and clothes that he created and wanted to show them off. He also got inspiration from the Illinois State Fashion Show, which he attends every year.
Due to this, he went to Mrs. Suddarth, the fashion teacher, and as he said, “the rest is history,”
The Normal West Fashion Show is student-led, and to get organized, they had a meeting and created different groups for the things people wanted to do (decorating, modeling, hair, makeup, etc.). Tidaback then gathered all their names, had them fill out Google Forms, put them off into committees, and then started planning.
The show was funded by FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America).
Tidaback explains there was many positives of the show: “It brought a lot of people who had very creative background, to people who didn’t know anything to sewing or fashion at all. So it brought a lot of diversity to the school and the show itself.”
Other positives were boosting moral, including more student and staff participation, and community impact. “It was indescribable,” Tidaback praises.
The fashion show exceeded the 100 attendees goal with about 150 people going. Even though he will be back to help with the show, due to Tidaback being a senior, there will be a new head director for the show next year, which will be left up to Mrs. Suddarth, who will enlist Tidaback for advice.
Additionally, instead of only one director, they hope there will be a team of directors in the future show(s).
Tidaback hopes people will keep the legacy of the fashion show alive when he graduates: getting more involved, getting more people to come, and trying to get that full auditorium filled up.
