IDEA Quest FIDM Fashion Club President Daniel Ymbong produced a spectacular runway show with the help of his fashionable club member team. We picked his brain to find out how he made it so superb...
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FC: Describe the theme and inspiration for your Fashion Show.
Daniel: The whole fashion show rendered around the collective trends of the 80’s rocker with my current muse; Rhea Somosot, muted in dark colored hues. We were inspired by bits of rocker, gender bender games, and androgyny from fashion icons like Carrie Bradshaw. In terms of silhouettes, color, and embellishment, the show was inspired by a woman of defiance who stomped around the city, ready to defend herself with the armor of a man and the confidence of a woman.
FC: Tell me about the Fashions featured in the show. Who created them?
Daniel: The clothes were pulled and styled from everywhere including local boutiques, mass market mall stores, downtown’s Art District, my design, and pieces straight from our own closets. For a sedating effect I formally declared that shoes must be skyscraper platforms either ankle boots or "gladiatorial" multi-straps purchased by the model and approved by me. Primarily we pulled from an Indie fashion boutique, Room Clothing and its owner: Monica de Coss. We mixed masculine pieces, such as a man’s vest and camp-shirt and layered them on top of each other. Then we cinched them at the waists for a ready-to-wear look. We used grandfather cardigans, graphic tees, ballerina skirts, black bangles, and chains galore! The accessories, panty-hose, and dresses were a collaboration of members’ own clothes, including mine. We came together to host run-throughs and created the looks that transitioned from city casual, formal day wear, to evening.
FC: How were your other club members involved in making this event a success?
Daniel: We all came together by dividing business tasks including: calling retailers, holding modeling sessions, and bringing all the possible resources we had. We spent hours after school huddled at the back of the stage putting outfits together and stuffing goody bags for the V.I.P. section. Most importantly, there was structured job titles given to the members, like public relations, interior design, technology, model dressers, waiters, secretaries, and minion assistants. There were people to call the retailers, people to assist in the styling, and, simply, note-takers. No task was too small. There were occasional breakdowns and catfights, which brought us together to firm our bond.
FC: What advice do you have for other FIDM Fashion Clubs who want to put on a Fashion Show?
Daniel: Fashion has no mercy and time only passes by. Producing a fashion show is collective and creative, of which planning and trust are vital. You may feel like you’re a teenager, trapped and confined, but chances are that there’s a group of cool intellectual fashionistas ready to feed your vision. Research your area and call, e-mail, or meet the retailers, designers, or boutique owners. Call your local bloggers, magazines, and photographers because the media has power. Work with what you’ve got and make it into something fabulous. Find a central theme that is cohesive and stick to it. Make your looks flow easily and if it doesn’t work: step away and breathe. Fashion is a microcosm of society, used to channel individual identity so be original. Handle the stress, pressure, and blood with the company of your members and help each other out. Treat yourself to a pair of new shoes for the after-party and some philosophical pep talks to move forward.
