March 28, 2024

By RACHEL ROYDSC_0033

Students in the visual merchandising arts program at Conestoga have done it again, showcasing their personal costume designs at the fifth annual aWEARness runway performance on March 26. This year’s theme was The Evolution of Movement Through Time.

The students’ designs were presented on a runway and in a video created by broadcast television students.

The performance was held at The Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts and proceeds went to National Service Dogs of Canada.

“It always takes a couple of weeks after an event for all of the bills to come in and be paid, etc.,” said Laura Harding, co-ordinator of the visual merchandising arts program. “However, I can still confirm at this time that the students met their goal to raise enough funds to sponsor the training and care of a new puppy which will be designated for a family in our community who has a child with autism. For this contribution, they are given the privilege of naming the puppy and they selected the name ‘Doon’ to honour their college campus.”

The students worked on their designs for a long time, some for over a year.

“We had to do the inspiration stuff, like watching videos and taking note of colours and stuff like that,” said Christin Hemstreet, one of the student designers.

Hemstreet was inspired by the movement and beauty of the Northern Lights. She wanted to focus on how she could show the specific movements and colours of them. Some of the other student designers and their inspiration were:
 Erin Ireland who used the Big Bang as inspiration.
 Laura Tonellotto whose design was inspired by the movie Up.
 Rachel Voisin was inspired by nature, focusing her design on lightning.
 Angela Nott did a tornado design.
 Maddie Perette did wind.  Laurysa Tschirhart created a piece around waves/ripples.
 Amanda Ross’s work was based around the energy of the human body.
 Jessica White created a design using a similar theme, a heartbeat.
 Garrett Shoemaker decided to work with the “evolution of man.”
 Emira Skarep’s design was based on a peacock.
 Jennica Swayze created her piece as a water wheel.

Margie Hedges, co-ordinator of design programs at Conestoga College, said, “It’s all about creativity. What we try to do is inspire the students just to think outside the box then just go with their heart and just do incredible things.
“It’s a visual display really gone wild.”

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