Senior fashion design major Jennifer Daugherty has dreamed of having models saunter down the runway draped in her garments. When she realized the VCU Fashion Show wouldn’t cater to her aspirations, she and her senior collections class decided to create their own show from the ground up, she said.
Daugherty and Philip Estrada, two of the main organizers in the class, have a few problems with the VCU show.
“We’re just not satisfied with the way VCU does its fashion show,” Estrada, senior fashion design major, said. “The whole class is just paraded down the runway and the designers’ names aren’t even announced. It just sort of seems elementary.”
Daugherty said, “There’s little, little recognition in that show. We wanted to have a name to the face of the clothes.”
The class had to come up with a group name separate from VCU, Daugherty said. They decided on Catalyst 15. The name of the show is “Ultra-Vires,” which means beyond the realms of the law in Latin.
“It’s like we’re a catalyst for change in the fashion department,” Daugherty said.
The Catalyst 15 show will include nudity as well as lingerie and skirts that are shorter than 16 inches, which the VCU show does not allow, Daugherty said.
“For our show we’re like anything goes,” she said.
Each of the 15 students in the class will show at least the five ensembles they made this semester, though some students made more. Daugherty and Estrada each made eight. Daugherty said she was having problems with some students in the class who weren’t helping put together the show as much as others.
“It needs to be made clear that this class is not easy and you really have to push your weight,” she said.
Daugherty said she and Estrada have put at least $500 together into the show and they opened an account for Catalyst 15. Other students in the class have donated money as well.
Estrada said there is some tension between them and the fahion department over the show. He said they have set restrictions on their show, such as the fact that it has to be after the VCU show.
Karen Guthrie, chair of the fashion department, said she has no problems with the Catalyst 15 show.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with us,” she said. “This is just a student show. … It’s a totally different show. It’s only 15 seniors.
“I think it’s going to be interesting. It’s much more art-oriented. It’s less of a fashion show and more of an art venue.”
Daugherty said there will be art from VCU students around Plant Zero, where the fashion show is being held.
Estrada did not want his garments to be in the VCU show, but he was told they had to be included, he said.
“I’d rather not do the VCU fahion show at all,” he said.
Daugherty said because the fahion department has so many contacts, she was hoping people from the department would help them set up the show. They didn’t receive any help.
“I feel like (the fahion department is) kind of being a bad sport about it,” she said. “I’ve really dreamed about this for a long time. It just sucks because you would think VCU would be more supportive.”
One aspect of the fashion show she is excited about is being able to do her models’ hair and makeup, which she couldn’t do with the VCU show.
“As a collection everything should be presented all together exactly how you (en)visioned,” she said. “And when it’s broken up from that, that’s not very professional.”
The professional quality her portfolio will have after the show is one of the main reasons she is working so hard to pull it off, she said.
“I’m going to make this show happen,” she said. “And if I have to be there all day and night the night before the show I’m going to do that.”
Daugherty said she and Estrada have worked to “create a buzz” about the show. They have sold between 150 and 200 tickets.
“The most horrible thing would be if we put all this work into (the show) and only our parents show up,” she said.
After the preparation is over and the show is finished, Daugherty said the rest of the night would be a party to celebrate their work.
“After our fashion show, the music’s going to keep playing and we’re going to have a dance party because it’s going to be us celebrating the fashion show and graduating,” she said. “Because by the time we have the show our exams are over and it’s going to be us celebrating our last night with our people.”
Catalyst 15 presents “Ultra-Vires” May 13, 2004 at Plant Zero
Tickets: $20 general admisson, $15 for VCU students
Art show at 6 p.m., fashion show at 8:30
Zero W. 4th St. 643-2042