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| Vol. 17, No. 28 | April 23, 1998 |
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| Vol. 17, No. 28 | April 23, 1998 |
Teen People fashion editor Jorge Ramon (left) helps sophomore Sean Doordan
choose a back-to-school fashion outift while MTV cameras roll.
The new magazine for teens from the editors of People chose the UD campus to shoot a portion of its back-to-school fashion spread that will appear in its upcoming August issue. The magazine's policy to feature real teens instead of professional models led the Teen People staff to select students from the crowd gathered at the van for the fashion shots. MTV also was on hand, covering the event for an August back-to-school broadcast.
UD was chosen because of Fashion Director Haley Hill's memories of a campus visit with a friend during her own college years, and from the recommendations of many UD alums who work in New York's fashion and publishing industries. The fashion van also chose real teen models at the University of Connecticut and at two other East Coast high schools.
The chosen few got to climb aboard the Teen People van and select an outfit from the wide assortment of clothes and accessories jammed-packed inside. None of the items is on the market yet, but were borrowed from designers who will be marketing them this fall.
After professional make-up and hair styling by Teen People staff, the students accompanied a fashion photographer to locations the staff had scouted out for the shoots earlier in the day.
One participant, sophomore Sean Doordan, an undeclared arts and science major, agreed to take MTV VJ Katrina and her film crew to his room. Once there, Katrina and Teen People fashion editor Jorge Ramon went through Doordan's closet to find out just what sort of shape his wardrobe was in.
None of those selected could pinpoint any reason why they were chosen.
"It was one of the most random great things that could ever happen before a math test!" sophomore art major Laurie March enthused.
"It was one of the best days of my life," Taylor Watkins, a freshman history education major agreed.
"I didn't want my picture taken at first, and then, before I knew it, some girl took my picture while I was sitting on the ground. After that, this lady motioned me over while I was standing with some friends against the wall and said, 'Hey! You want to be a model? I know you do. We think you look great and would like to use you for this shoot!' Of course, I said, 'Okay!' Hey, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance," Kevin Roberts, a junior criminal justice major, said.
Because the magazine wanted to feature the clothes, not the environment, creative director Deirdre Koribanick explained that the background for the shots was kept to a minimum.
"This whole campus scene is so great, but we have such limited space and we want to make sure people look at the clothes," she said, explaining the photographer's choice of locations-like a hallway in McDowell Hall and the showers in the women's locker room in the Carpenter Sports Building.
Freshman, apparel design major Morgan Gibbons, who wore a long skirt with a hooded tank top and hooded knit vest for the shot in the showers, admitted the location was "weird" but said the experience definitely got her thinking of a career as a professional model.
"To wear incredible clothes, be praised and get paid for it, too, would be awesome!"
Freshman Stephanie Whalen agreed, "I absolutely loved the experience. I woke up thinking it was going to be just another Thursday. I'm a fashion merchandising major, and I love clothes, checking out different styles and being immersed in that whole fashion-related atmosphere."
Friends and family were delighted for all of the participants, although Roberts got some funny phone calls and took some ribbing from his friends.
Watkins and March both have younger sisters who get the magazine and have decided not to tell them about the event-to let them discover them in the August issue on their own.
"In August, when Katie flips through to see what to wear back to school, maybe my 15 minutes of fame will make me the world's best big sister," March said.
Other models for the day included junior Jason McCoy, Kate Pavia, a freshman majoring in hotel, restaurant and institutional management, and Colleen McCann, a freshman majoring in apparel design.
-Beth Thomas
Photo by Robert Cohen
