CAZENOVIA — On Dec. 3, the Cazenovia College Fashion Studies Program presented a “Sew-on Patch Party” fundraiser at The Key Consignment Shop.
Community members were invited to bring their old garments to the shop, choose from a variety of patches to purchase, and then watch the fashion students sew the patches on to create new looks. DIY patch kits were also available for purchase.
The Fashion Studies Program consists of students majoring in Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising.
The Patch Party fundraiser was part of a larger effort to raise $25,000 to support the continued development of the Fashion Studies Program, particularly the Annual Fashion Show production and launch party event and the Look Again sustainable fashion line.
“[With the Patch Party,] we are trying to inspire sustainability within the fashion industry,” said fashion design major Hannah Garrett. “That’s kind of what our whole Look Again collection is about.”
Annual Fashion Show
The student-run juried fashion show is presented each spring as part of a two-semester senior capstone experience.
Traditionally, the fashion show is conducted at an off-campus venue large enough to accommodate several hundred guests. Last year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the capstone students decided to produce a video to debut the students’ designs while still gaining the experience of planning and hosting a fashion launch event.
“[Last year’s event] went very well,” said fashion design major Allison McGrath. “It went better than I expected. The video was really nicely prepared. [They] did an amazing job on it.”
The college’s 49th annual show next spring will also be presented in a digital format.
“You’re not able to see the nitty-gritty of the garments when they are on a runway,” noted Garrett. “With the video, you can view the garments for longer and see the details up close.”
Unlike last year, however, the students are planning to hold a video launch party at a local venue for alumni, industry connections, current and prospective students, and students’ families.
“[It will be] similar to a standard show, but [there won’t be] as many people as a typical runway event would [have],” said Megan Lawson-Clark M.A., M.B.A., director of the annual fashion show. “. . . We hope in the very near future to return to a hybrid format, as we have had in the past, with a live web component along with the in-person standard runway production with our large crowd. Digital fashion shows are now a part of the industry, but many designers are starting to bring back in-person runway shows. Our students are prepared to enter the industry with the knowledge of how to [do the] research for and put on an event with all the logistics involved with an in-person and digital fashion production.”
According to Lawson-Clark, who is also an associate professor of fashion studies and director of the fashion merchandising program, the seniors have been working since Aug. 2021 to research various aspects of event management, including fundraising.
“The funds raised [through this year’s campaign] will help with the cost of the venue, catering, the video production, and any supplies needed to run the launch party,” she said.
Look Again
Look Again is a sustainable clothing brand launched by students in Visiting Instructor Elise Thayer’s product development class last year.
The two-semester course provides hands-on, real-world learning in the development of innovative, customer-driven apparel for a specific target market.
Students develop an understanding of design, production, and merchandising concepts through a collaborative project with local industry partners.
Both semesters (“product development principles” and “product development applications”) are particularly focused on the design and production of upcycled and recycled clothing.
On April 30, 2021, the fashion programs debuted their ready-to-wear garment line under the Look Again label at The Key.
According to Thayer, the programs were able to continue expanding and elevating the Look Again line throughout the summer with the help of two interns. This fall, the class has broadened the product line to include home accessories and new collections, such as bleached flannels, mixed print t-shirts, and patched denim jeans.
“The students continue to research trends so they can transform unused and unwanted clothing into trendy one-of-a-kind pieces,” Thayer said. “. . . The funds raised for Look Again will help contribute to the growth of the brand and what we can achieve to move the brand forward by keeping us relevant and fresh. One example of recent brand growth includes our recent application to trademark the Look Again name and logo. Fundraising is a great way to get students involved and get them to understand the process of creating, selling, and sustaining a fashion line.”
Following the Sew-on Patch Party, patrons were invited to shop the latest items in the Look Again collection.
Located at 66 Albany St., The Key is a charitable consignment and donation shop founded in 1960 by the women of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The two-level retail space offers a wide selection of clothing, footwear, and household goods at a fraction of their original costs.
For more information on The Key, visit thekeyconsign.com or follow “The Key Cazenovia” on Instagram and Facebook.
To learn more about the fundraiser for the Cazenovia College Fashion Studies Program, visit the Caz Fashion Initiatives page givecampus.com.
