What comes to mind when you think ‘fashion show’? Many people think that in a fashion show, lots of top stars are invited and enjoy their party. In other words, people consider fashion shows to be exclusively for famous stars and far away from them. If so, are fashion shows made for certain people to enjoy themselves? When did fashion shows start? And why are fashion shows made? In the first century B.C., there was a unique custom named ‘Basomme’ in Dakia (an ancient nation located in what is now Romania). ‘Basomme’ was a custom that the most beautiful and handsome servant who worked for a nobleman, putting on the most superb garment and sang a song and danced to thank a god. Some years later, Dakia became a subject state of Rome, and the Crown Prince of Dakia continued holding the festival ‘Basomme’. The custom spread to Rome and has since changed to a modern fashion show in Western Europe. Modern fashion show started in 1920s. After World War II, fashion shows have shown ready-made clothes general for ordinary people.
However, these days, the purpose of fashion show has been changed, the recognition of fashion show has changed and the classes enjoying the fashion show have also changed. For example, ‘Floating Island’ located in Han-gang Park was closed to the general public. The reason why ‘Floating Island’ was closed was for ‘FENDI’ fashion show was because only a small number of people - press, staff, and the minimum people who had invitation cards, were allowed to enter. The public spoke critically to the sponsor of ‘FENDI’ fashion show. People who wanted to see the show were sent back home bitterly. A citizen said “I came here with big expectation of watching famous stars and a splendid fashion show, but it ran counter to my expectation.” Meanwhile, famous stars like Chinese star Zhang Ziyi, Taiwanese star Patty Hou, and Thai star Zooey attended the fashion show.
Fashion shows are not a place where the top stars show off their fashion style and make more personal connections and expose their face to media. Fashion shows are for introducing next season’s trends, showing and sharing opinions about what style, what material or what color will be loved by the public. These days, people have a firm idea that fashion shows are only for celebrities, but fashion shows held by the department of Fashion Design of Chung –Ang University participated in the stream of changing from conventional show to the real fashion show which is for everyone.
Is there a special meaning of the department of Fashion Design?
The department of Fashion Design of Chung–Ang University dispatches exchange students every year for leading Global age and tries to give students many opportunities to educate enterprises’ reality. Also, the department of Fashion Design promotes cultural exchange between nations distinguishing the field of stage costume. Besides, the department of Fashion Design enhances the nation’s and university’s position and has produced many excellent designers gaining greater prominence by starting contests exhibit from the year before last. The department of Fashion Design of Chung –Ang University celebrated its 30th year and has been holding a fashion show annually. Works belongs to seniors who are taking last semester and ready for graduation. Some students just submit and make public their theses. Their works are also examined by professors during the fashion show. The key word of this year’s fashion show was ‘connection’, it means the connection between subjects and between phenomenons are connected and continued. Prior years, as well as this year, have each had a keyword. The stage having new interpretation was panned out dividing into two sections and in the bridge time linking two sections, students of the Department of Dance of Chung-Ang University gave a fantastic performance. Also, this fashion show was progressed with the exhibition in the art center of Heukseok campus.
The impression of the show:
Many attendances sat around the runway as you can see in fashion shows on TV. The master of ceremonies introduced professors of the department to attend. The fashion show finally started after the opening performance of students of the Department of Dance. Their performance seemed to mix with stillness of Eastern and movement of Western. The models walked the runway wearing creative clothes made by students.
The fashion show went on for two hours under the theme of the main title 'connection', and the exhibitions were sub-classified into 'connect by object’, ‘connect with human’, ‘natural coexistence’, ‘mechanical coexistence’, etc. Models came on the stage had a proper face for mood of garment. Mental connection as well as physical connection were expressed by the clothes. ‘Connection’ was an interesting theme as they were matching the pure white, somewhat cybernetic clothing with human beings. During the break there were more dance performances.
The fashion show of the Department of Fashion Design was held not only by Chung-Ang Univerisity, but also by other universities. Many people may think that it is in vain and valueless, that the fashion shows are held by students. However, the reaction of attendees that watched the fashion show of Dong-duk Women’s University was the complete opposite. Of course, the fashion show of Dong-duk Women’s University is prominent. Many people may think that there were few attendees there because the fashion show of Dong-duk Women‘s University was held by amateurs. However, there were a number of people beyond its control and lots of mass media and press were interested in the fashion show of Dong-duk Women’s university. A Plenty of people said that fashion show seemed like a real fashion show. About 3,500 people, not only student on the register and future designers' friends but also people that are in the field of real fashion and the general public attended.
The fashion show of Chung-Ang students was relatively small. However, the quality of the fashion show was beyond a real fashion show to say nothing of the fashion show of Dong-duk Women’s University. In fact, fashion show of university was not made by professional designers and it does not lead and forecast the coming trend and also does not receive much attention. Therefore, the scale of the fashion show, like the length of runway and the number of attendances could not satisfy the public, but their passion of their dream surpassed the real fashion show.
What is the point of a fashion show made by university student?
At first, for the students who made the clothes directly, when they become a great designer, the fashion show will be an important experience for them. Also, they can be motivated by their past fashion shows, being examined by professor, and they can feel how their works are excellent and valuable by being praised by their relatives. Besides, they may feel a sense of accomplishment above all things.
Next, although the scale of the fashion show is rather small and the fashion show is not of a real famous designer’s, student that attend the fashion show could feel that they are like celebrities and could undergo a new experience. Also, they could feel closer to ‘fashion show’ and broaden their view by watching garment that are experimental clothes, not daily clothes.
This kind of fashion show is different from a real fashion show. Of course, the clothing which appeared this fashion show will not come out in real market and will not affect the tendency of the public. So, is the fashion show completely pointless? No. This fashion show has more value than others, because the delight they experience indirectly when they see their very clothes on stage is invaluable for them. This kind of opportunity has to be invigorated to become the festival for many people, not a small number of people. What are some of the ways to activate fashion show?
The best way to invigorate the fashion show is to promote the university fashion shows. Organizers should announce the festival to every university, so students should participate in other fashion shows and get much inspiration from other universities’ students that are in fashion design majors. Therefore, they should exchange their opinion with others. To accomplish the goal, fashion shows should be fostered. Organizers should invite other students that have same dreams as well as their friends and relatives so they wouldn’t end at being just a small university event. Culture media should introduce that kind of campus festival. Attendees should increase the participation rate. By doing this, organizers should make lots of people that are in the field of fashion lead more participation. Also, it is important that organizers should increase the value of their design by seeing the light of their clothes to daily clothes, not performing clothes. A fashion show, which is not a simple event, should affect our fashion industry and should foster promising designers.