On Friday, members of the Saint Mary's community walked the runway at the annual Shaheen Bookstore fashion show, wearing apparel from the fall and winter collections. Nearly 40 models showcased the new line that was made available to the public immediately after the event.
The fashion show's theme was "A Feminine Twist on the Classic Prep."
"Everything we have is kind of classic Saint Mary's, but with an edge," said fashion show coordinator Melinda Welch, a senior.
Preparation for the event began last spring.
"We do the buying for the clothing in the spring and the summer," Welch said. "Once we know the clothing, we e-mail ideas back and forth and then once we get back to Saint Mary's, we pick a date and find the models."
The models for the show are mostly Saint Mary's students, with a few Notre Dame students. Members of the College's faculty and staff, including College President Carol Ann Mooney, also participated.
"This is my third time doing the fashion show," sophomore model Margaret Burke said. "We have a couple of fittings before the show to decide what clothes and accessories to wear, but it's always a lot of fun and I love doing it. It's really fun to play model."
"Hands down, my favorite part about being involved in the fashion show was walking down the runway and putting Derek Zoolander to shame," Notre Dame junior Drew Reynolds said.
Welch was happy with student turnout.
"We had a great crowd," she said. "Everyone seemed to be having a good time and I think people really enjoyed the clothes."
In addition to the runway show, there was also a raffle. Raffle items included an iPod shuffle, two Vera Bradley bags, a Vera Bradley hat/purse set and four Vera Bradley book covers. The Bookstore also teamed up with student organization Belles for Books for a "50/50" raffle in which 50 percent of the proceeds went to buy books for underprivileged children.
"The fashion show is a creative way for the Bookstore to advertise," Welch said.
The Bookstore offered a 20-percent discount on all clothing items from Friday until Sunday to coincide with the fashion show and release of the new clothing.
