The house was packed, lights were dim and music thumping as more than 50 student models took the runway at the spring fashion show.
"Urban Instincts: Where the Wild Things Walk" was held at Cardinal Hall at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center on Sunday for an audience of more than 300 people. Trenton Bush, adviser of the Fashion Promotions class, said the show raised $500 for the Cardinal Greenway through ticket sales.
Bush came to Ball State University after working for fashion designer Betsey Johnson. An instructor in the Family and Consumer Science department, he said he was impressed with the level of professionalism in the planning for the show.
"You need a smidge of DJ, a cup of designer. It really is a formula," he said.
He said the city backdrop was perfect to encompass all the kinds of fashion in the show. The variety ranged from flowing colonial dresses to children's clothing, punk-urban sweatshirts and high-class silk tops.
Even with the variety of styles, teased hair and exaggerated makeup were a consistent theme.
Models were asked to be at Cardinal Hall five hours before the show, and most of that time was spent in hair and makeup, senior Ashley Meyer said.
Meyer was in charge of model callouts and teaching the models how to walk. One point of advice, she said, is to walk slowly and not to the beat of the music.
"The show is about the outfits, not the models," she said. "You can't have them bouncing down the stage."
Senior Lauren Harper, a communications major, said she's been in other Ball State modeling shows, and she really liked how the hair stylists developed the jungle theme.
"They did a great job of making it crazy and retro," she said.
Senior Michelle Middleton, the backstage manager, said it was chaotic backstage trying to ensure all the models were ready to go out at the right time. The only major problem, she said, was when one girl's zipper broke, and she had to walk with her hands at her side to cover the seam.
Middleton said this is the most intense show she's been a part of. Because there was a budget, the students were able to do what they wanted and not just what they were told. The backstage budget for hair and makeup was $50, she said.
Middleton said she was happy with the show, and after a semester of 8 a.m. classes for Fashion Promotions, she's glad class is canceled today.
After the fashion show, President Jo Ann Gora named the winners of the tie and scarf contest that took place earlier this semester. She said about 170 designs were submitted by 43 students.
The contest was an example of Ball State's commitment to immersive learning, she said, with Gora being the client. Immersive projects address a real problem and offer a lasting solution. In this case, she said the problem was Ball State needed to have clothing accessories designed for friends of the university and foreign dignitaries.
Five hundred scarves and ties will be produced, and she expects more to be printed in the future.
Live mannequins were a new component to the show. Student models displayed styles from Maurice's during a reception following the fashion show.
Senior Michelle Sierra said the goal was to put together a look to go with the theme. Each student went shopping separately, but they tried to make it look cohesive. The theme "Urban Instincts" included a wide range of styles, she said.
"We tried to utilize what's in fashion and still fun and affordable," she said. "We wanted to show people what they can do with the stores in Muncie."
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