Students at Central Michigan University set out to knock down deep-seated fashion industry barriers at this year’s 21st Annual Threads Fashion Show. With the theme “Threads Fashion ID,” the show’s three student producers set a goal for an inclusive celebration of all body types and shapes.
With Ashley Graham, a plus-size model, and Madeline Stuart, a model with Down’s syndrome, appearing on runways across the world alongside other barrier-breaking models, the fashion industry as a whole is beginning to see a movement toward inclusivity and diversity.
“Every year we have to look at the cultural climate. What does fashion look like? What’s our student body? What’s going on around us? And then you have to look at creative ways to take these concepts that are abstract and come up with an overall theme,” explains Ian Mull, Faculty member in the Fashion Merchandising and Design Department at Central Michigan University and faculty advisor for Threads Fashion Show.
This year’s Threads Fashion Show has been about a year in the making. Each year’s production begins almost immediately after the previous year’s show ends with the selection of student producers. While the theme is one of the biggest decisions the producers have to make right away, these students and their student directors play a role in every aspect of the show – from venue selection to marketing to set up and everything in between.
One of the challenges facing the producers this year was how to implement their theme and idea of being more inclusive. Their solution was to use a different process by which the student designers selected their models. Historically, the designers had total control over the selection of models. This year, designers chose half. The production team did model calls from the student body and had the designers select the other half of the models out of that group.
Alfaro also designed a bridal collection that appeared in the fashion show. As a designer, she says challenging student designers to create pieces for a variety of body types is important.
“As a designer, you’re going to design for all different body shapes and sizes, so why not get that experience now? Because it is more realistic,” says Alfaro.
Mull says the model selection process used this year opened up the show to more diversity. He says he thinks the production team will use this process again in next year’s show - perhaps even more so.
Rachael Thomas was one of about 120 models in this year’s show. This was her third year as a model and she says she noticed more diversity on the runway this year compared to previous years.
“I definitely think it’s been an improvement over the years and I hope it continues,” says Thomas.
The Threads Fashion Show didn’t stop at being inclusive of all body types, though. The producers made a movement to be inclusive at every level, introducing the show to areas of CMU’s campus that haven’t historically been touched by the Threads Fashion Show. That’s why they decided to host the show, which took place on April 6, in the Biosciences Building on CMU’s Mt. Pleasant campus.
“We are having a new audience of people that really weren’t exposed to Threads now taking part,” says Ferguson.
As an electric energy filled the building, 24 designers had their collections put on display Saturday evening in front of a cheering audience. Their process to get there wasn’t easy, though.
Designs were modeled by a variety of body shapes and types that one may not traditionally see on the runway. However, Thomas says it’s important for Threads Fashion Show and the fashion industry as a whole to continue making an effort to be more inclusive so people – no matter their body type – can picture themselves being successful in the industry.