Kent State fashion group Modista announced its 2023 fashion show will be inspired by the theme “paradox.”
Junior fashion merchandising student Rileyanna Karić works as the group’s president this semester.
“The idea of the word ‘paradox’ means two contradictory statements or things that seemingly don’t make sense,” she said. “I really see a critical time in fashion right now to point out all of the ironies of fashion and all of the hypocrisy within fashion. Different sorts of people can represent the interpretation of paradox and what it means to them.”
The show’s theme is chosen by the club president each year. Karić held the honor this semester.
“It’s a tradition that the president picks the theme because it is a chance for the president to choose something that really means a lot to them and something that exemplifies what they’re trying to show inside the group,” she said.
Outfits and displays in the show will include designs from a selected group of fashion students.
Designer calls will occur Oct. 2 and 3 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Student Center. Model calls for the show will take place Oct. 11 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom balcony.
Modista is a student-led fashion group created in 2008. It started as a fashion group focused on minority students, specifically African-American students, Karić said. The group focuses on providing students with creative outlets and career readiness opportunities.
“Modista went through a kind of hibernation period where it wasn’t really focused on the main goal of diversity and fashion – this year, now that I have the vision of what I want to get back to, it’s not realistic to make it just for African American students,” she said. “We have a huge member demographic, it ranges from white, to Black, to Asian, to Latino. There are so many people who come from different backgrounds.”
The fashion show is scheduled for late November with no set date yet. More information can be found on the group’s Instagram.
Kelsie Horner is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
