10:56 a.m., May 6, 2009----Forget Paris and Milan. The University of Delaware Fashion Merchandising Club (FMC) invites the community to the first-ever UD Fashion Week, a series of events scheduled for May 11-16 and designed to explore and celebrate the role fashion plays in our lives.

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According to Rita Chang, a junior Dean's Scholar in the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy and president of FMC, the idea for Fashion Week came to her as she was perusing fashion magazines.

“I was looking for ways to make FMC more active and prominent on campus,” said Chang, who also is an Honors Program student in the College of Arts and Sciences, “and as I was flipping through fashion magazines, it suddenly occurred to me to start an annual Fashion Week at UD, similar to the ones that take place in fashion capitals around the world. Over the past few months, all of us in FMC have been working hard to make UD Fashion Week a great way for the UD community to experience and learn more about how deeply fashion influences our lives, as well as an excellent way for FMC to celebrate all that we have accomplished this year.”

FMC Presents: UD's 1st Fashion Week events include the following:

Monday, May 11

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Trabant University Center Patio
Eco-friendly tie-dyeing of T-shirts. There will be a limited number of blank T-shirts available free for those who stop by, but people are also invited to bring their own garments to tie-dye using environmentally safe dyes.

7:00 p.m., Trabant Multipurpose Rooms A and B
The RECONSTRUCTED fashion show will feature eco-friendly UD student designs that were created out of old garments -- in other words, the clothing will all have been remade, redesigned, or “reconstructed.” The Students for the Environment registered student organization (RSO) will also be present to speak on the importance of environmental sustainability in fashion. Admission is free. All guests will vote on their favorite student designer, who will receive a grand prize.

Tuesday, May 12

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Trabant University Center Patio
Students are invited to nominate themselves and/or their friends for a free makeover during “The Good, the Bad and the Made-over” event. Three lucky students will be selected for free makeovers by NV Boutique and a local salon. These students will be unveiled during the finale fashion show, Swagger Like a UD Man, on Saturday, May 12.

6:30 p.m., Trabant Movie Theatre
Screening of the hit BBC documentary The Secret World of Haute Couture. This event is cosponsored by FMC and The Garment District, a student organization formed this semester with a focus on the art of fashion. A $2 requested donation at the door will go to support this new RSO.

Wednesday, May 13

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Trabant University Center Patio
Free eco-friendly clothing swap. (In October 2008, FMC hosted the University's first clothing swap.) Both male and female students are invited to bring any of their unwanted or old garments to exchange with others. All remaining clothing at the end of the day will be donated to Project HOME, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Philadelphia's homeless men, women and children.

5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Memorial Hall Room 109
FMC will host a DIY Embellishment Workshop. Students will learn how to beautifully and stylishly embellish their own old jeans, shirts and accessories. Students are asked to bring their own clothing and accessories to the workshop. FMC will then provide embellishments and decorations, as well as personal instruction on how to apply them to the garments. Admission fee is $2.

Thursday, May 14

10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., North Green, in front of Gore Hall
Local boutiques and vendors and UD student groups will have tables promoting their business or club. Businesses will showcase their products and services, as well as offer merchandise for sale. Clubs will present how they see fashion; for example, the National Eating Disorders Awareness Committee will be addressing eating disorders in the fashion industry.

In addition, the male models in Saturday's fashion show will be present and wearing pink as they solicit donations for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, a national breast cancer research and awareness foundation, which will also have a table at the event. Each person who donates money will receive free raffle tickets to use at Saturday's fashion show. Also, large pink ribbon cookies donated by Aunt Jo's Cookies, a Haddon Heights, N.J., bakery, will be sold for a dollar each, with all proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Friday, May 15

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Trabant University Center Patio
UD students will be selling their very own handmade designs, including apparel, accessories, and jewelry to the public. The community is invited to support UD entrepreneurs.

4:30 p.m., Trabant Movie Theatre
Free screening of the film Breakfast at Tiffany's. FMC will be selling raffle tickets to attendees to be entered in a drawing for a Tiffany & Co. necklace valued at $100.

Saturday, May 16

6:30 p.m., Trabant Multipurpose Rooms A, B and C
The finale fashion show entitled Swagger Like a UD Man will feature UD men who will model casual wear, formal wear and swimsuits, as well as answer questions. The audience and a panel of judges will decide the top three models. Admission is $5 with a UD ID card and $8 for all other attendees. Raffle tickets will be sold, and raffle prizes will be drawn. Free food and a live DJ will add to the festivities. Local vendors will also be present from 6:30-7 p.m. The fashion show will begin at 7. Guests are requested to kindly wear black and white attire.

In the event of rain, all outdoor events will be relocated to the Trabant University Center food court.

Article by Beth Chajes