FAST X SFC student

As spring quarter evolves, so are the designers of the Sustainable Fashion Club (SFC) and Fashion and Student Trends’ (FAST) Fashion Show. "Evolution" is the theme of the second annual fashion show put on by fashion-focused Cal Poly clubs this weekend.

The collaboration began in 2022 when Fashion and Student Trends reached out Sustainable Fashion Club hoping to combine forces and put on a large fashion show.

The fashion show will take place in the Multi Activity Center (MAC) Building 43, room 170 from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 12 and will be wheelchair-accessible.

Sustainable Fashion Club co-president and business junior Kiana Williams was initially planning on hosting an end-of-the-quarter fashion show and heard that Fashion and Student Trends normally put one on as well.

"We started working with them, and it just spiraled and got bigger and crazier," Williams said.

There will be designs from 17 different student designers. Each designer is required to create multiple pieces for the show and has to submit applications prior to their clothes being displayed. Applications for this year's show opened up at the beginning of winter quarter.

For the show, designers can choose their models — they have the option to use their friends, a volunteer that would have applied prior, or even themselves. In total there will be 75 student models.

Designer and sociology sophomore Evamarie Kropp decided to design four outfits — each inspired by different aspects of nature.

Kropp interprets evolution as, "the gradual development of something simple to more complex," she said. Contextually, she sees development as the progression of something working towards something bigger.

"This development explains the very essence of designing clothes: fabric evolves to a dress, yarn evolves to a scarf, and different elements of a design come together to form something more," Kropp said.

The design process itself takes time and dedication, she said — Kropp has been working on her four outfits for the past three months.

The Sustainable Fashion Club also supports sustainability in designs, and designers are encouraged to think outside the box and be as resourceful as possible.

While the actual designs aren't made out of all recycled or thrifted materials, designers can think sustainably in different ways. Kropp said she makes her practice designs out of thrifted material.

Another designer and soil science junior Daniel Puga is also working on four different designs. Puga enjoys explaining all the different ways that their clothes can be worn to their friends.

"Shirts can be worn as mini skirts, stretched out to dresses, or worn upside down," Puga said.

For the fashion show, Puga is designing a half-knit, half-crochet top that ties similar to a swimsuit. The top will be accompanied by a fluffy webbed skirt made of mohair yarn and will be modeled by Puga's friend Maya. Collectively, Puga's pieces for the show will follow a dystopian, apocalyptic style, they said.

Williams worked on last years’ fashion show and is also responsible for organizing it this year.

On the day of the upcoming show, Williams said she's planning on arriving at the MAC at 9 a.m., so that she and other members of the club can set up space for designers to store their things, as well as a ticketing and check-in area for guests. There's two restrooms at the venue that will act as changing rooms for the models during the show itself.

"It's so much work, and it's a serious grind up until the last minute and then you do the show and see everyone's work under the light," Williams said.

In terms of last year she described the day of the show as an "atmosphere of joy."

Tickets for the Fashion Show are $6 for students and $11 for non-students and can be found on the event's Eventbrite.