Fashion Students Ramp up Runway Designs

By Rogelio Santana

Four Santa Ana College students presented couture designs April 5 at the first Orange County College Fashion Week, “A Different Skin,” in a runway show.

The event launched an annual collaboration between SAC, Fullerton, Orange Coast and Saddleback community colleges. The clothing, textile products and accessories will be on display through Friday at the SAC gallery in the downtown Santora building.

“I saw a lot of smiling faces and heard a lot of ooh’s and ahh’s from the crowd. If the designers are happy, then I’m happy. The turnout was perfect,” said SAC Fashion Design and Merchandising Department Chair Kyla Benson.

Runway designer Berenice Gonzalez was the winner of SAC’s 1920s’ themed fashion show that celebrated the Santora building’s 84 years in 2012. It took Gonzalez one week to sketch her piece, thread her own fabric, sew the material and present it to crowd of about 200 people.

“I decided to choose this [piece] because I made my own fabric for the show, no one is going to have the same fabric,” Gonzalez said.

The clothing and accessories in the fashion show were selected by the SAC Design and Merchandising Department, and the event was organized by the Fashion and Promotion. Each college had five looks in the runway show and two looks on display, in the SAC art gallery. Previewing their collection, SAC also had pieces from the senior design class’ first outfits for their fashion show coming up in May on display.

The Santa Ana College Arts Gallery is inside the Santora Building at 207 N. Broadway, Suite Q. The exhibit is free and on display through Friday.