Kent State students Rachel Kroll and Lydia Dallas hosted a fashion show Thursday night at Bar 145 in downtown Kent to feature their personal designs outside of the classroom.

The fashion show was partnered with Paramount Pictures to promote the upcoming release of ‘Zoolander 2.’ Guests received details and a promotional code for an upcoming advanced screening of the motion picture.

Leslie Cancelliere, a senior communication studies major, played a major role in the planning and execution of the fashion show.

“All of us worked together to help plan it, but being a senior and familiar with the Kent area, I came up with a couple different location ideas and I am the one that contacted the models and the designers,” Cancelliere said. “Overall, it was definitely a team effort to get everything going.”

Kroll, a junior fashion design major, said the fashion show was a fun opportunity and provided her with experience before entering the fashion industry.

“Leslie reached out to us and informed us of the fashion show and it sounded like a lot of fun,” Kroll said. “I am applying for internships for the summer, so just getting my designs out there and getting involved before I go into the industry is very helpful.”

According to Kroll, a lot of time and effort went into the creation of her pieces that were featured in the show.

“I created the black dress last year that was featured in the show and it took quite a while because of the complex seam lines and all of the gathering,” Kroll said. “I also hand sewed all the buttons on the back of the dress and that took a while as well.”

Dallas, a senior fashion design major, said that she also spent a lot of time creating her pieces and was proud to have them modeled during the show.

“My favorite piece featured in the show is my coat I made in Florence, because it was the most labor intensive,” Dallas said. “I had to put a lining in it and I also incorporated hand embroidery. I am definitely the most proud of how that one came out.”

The fashion show was a great opportunity for both students to show guests the different pieces that they have been working on.

“I feel like any opportunity to show what you’ve been working on and to talk to people about your designs is good practice for the real world,” Dallas said. “Especially for myself, because I am graduating in May and will be looking for jobs.”  

Lorenza Dwight, a senior psychology major, sat in the front row of the fashion show and enjoyed viewing the different pieces.

“The show was a really great experience. My favorite piece from the show was the little black dress that Rachel made. I really liked the peplum design,” Dwight said. “I wish Kent State would have more pop-up style fashion show events.”

Taylor Pierce is a fashion reporter for The Kent Stater, contact her at [email protected].