February 21, 2017 - Over 50 looks by high school student designers were shown on the runway tonight as OFW kicked off it's spring 2017 season at the Omaha Design Center. Over 400 students, parents and teachers were in the audience to watch the runway show and panel discussion that followed. Free student tickets were underwritten by Metro Community College, which now offers an associate's degree in fashion design.
The show featured works from the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program at the Joslyn Art Museum, Nebraska 4-H, Nebraska FCCLA, Omaha South Magnet High School and Omaha Central High School. The Pretty In Patina Pre-Party featured musical and visual arts performances by students from the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program.
The OFW Selection Panel was on hand to review the work and select a student winner, who will be announced next week and receive a $500 cash prize from SAC Federal Credit Union. Past student night winners include Chris DiGiorgio in 2015 and Hannah Hidalgo in 2016, both part of the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program.
Following the runway show, OFW Producer Brook Hudson led a panel discussion with local industry experts: Buf Reynolds, Omaha fashion designer; Alyssa Dilts, founder of Develop Model Management; Sam Hohman, founding board member of the Fashion Institute Midwest; Nanci Stephenson, director of the fashion program at Metro Community College; and Nick Hudson, founder of Omaha Fashion Week.
Topics included how to make good choices regarding college selection; where panelists get their inspiration; how to overcome technical deficiencies as a designer; and what local resources are available to help students explore career paths in fashion.
Stay tuned to OFW social media to find out which student designer will be the lucky winner of a $500 cash prize from SAC Federal Credit Union! The winner will be announced on Monday, February 27.
Tomorrow night: The Methodist Cancer Survivor Show
