Mark Vorreuter

Madeleine Galvin ’18, a student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is fitted for one of four smart garments being developed by lead designer Eric Beaudette ’16 and graduate student collaborators in fiber science and physics.

Mark Vorreuter

Ellen Pyne ’15 fits a hand-felted wool gown inspired by Snow White onto model Elana Valastro ’17, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences.

After months of preparation – sketching and making patterns, finding and fitting models, cutting and sewing fabrics, arranging makeup and accessories – Ellen Pyne ’15 this weekend will send her fairy-tale themed “Crimson” line down the Cornell Fashion Collective (CFC) runway in a matter of minutes.

Anticipating their moment to shine, Pyne and 35 other designers have been laboring since last fall to perfect their creations for the 31st CFC runway show, Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m. in Barton Hall. For first-year designers, the event allows them to present a single look on the big stage, whereas seniors like Pyne plan a full collection, hoping it will launch their fashion careers.

“I eat, sleep, go to class and sew,” said Pyne, whose showstopper is a seamless Snow White-inspired dress made entirely of hand-felted wool. “The collection is a statement of my artistic aesthetic and the culmination of everything I’ve learned over the past four years.”

Working just as diligently are show planners, led by CFC President Megan Rodrigues ’15, who are remaking the cavernous Barton Hall to host a night of glamour. Since shortly after the curtain closed on last spring’s show, Rodrigues and the CFC executive board have been organizing ticket sales and a heap of other details, including a new runway design that will give the expected 2,500 guests a better view of the Cornell student models on the catwalk.

“Through this process, I’ve learned a great deal about leadership, learning to delegate and being able to inspire others to a common goal,” said Rodrigues, who hopes to work in event planning after graduation. “Mostly, I’m excited to see the growth of each designer leading up to the show.”

Watch live
Can’t make the Cornell Fashion Collective runway show in person? Watch it live on CornellCast.

Designers come largely from the fashion design major in the College of Human Ecology, but students from the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences will also contribute pieces. A multidisciplinary team will present “Irradiance,” a wearable technology collection that uses sensors and luminescent panels to detect and respond to audio – glowing and dimming in sync with surrounding music. Lead designer Eric Beaudette ’16 said that team, which includes Lina Sanchez Botero and Neal Reynolds, doctoral students in the fields of fiber science and physics, respectively, hopes to inspire a vision for smart clothing of the future.

In the sesquicentennial spirit, the show also will include a nod to the past. Recalling campus styles dating back to 1865, Denise Green ’07, assistant professor of fiber science and apparel design, will air a short video about an exhibit, “150 Years of Cornell Student Fashion,” currently on display in the Human Ecology Building.

Inspired by art and culture she observed studying abroad in Paris last fall, Linnea Fong ’16 will present “Infatuated,” luxury evening wear she described as taking on “individual obsession with physical perfection and how that manifests in the fashion industry.” Just days before the show, she’s still modifying parts of her collection, noting, “You just have to figure out how to make your ideas come to life, which is the fun part.”

Concluding the show will be a line by Blake Uretsky ’15, recipient of a 2015 Geoffrey Beene National Scholarship from the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund. Her “Crested Butte” collection of women’s outerwear, a modern twist on vintage 1950s ski clothing, includes “distinctly wearable, yet visually exciting pieces,” she said. Presenting 10 looks, Uretsky’s line incorporates classic silhouettes and wool, corduroy and denim embellished with laser cuts and other modern techniques.

“Ultimately, I want to design clothes that people love and have a desire to wear,” Uretsky said. “The show will be such a wonderful experience with my family, friends and the Cornell community all supporting my work.”

The show is open to the public. Tickets are $12 presale and $15 at the door.

Ted Boscia is director of communications and media for the College of Human Ecology.