SUNY Buffalo State’s Fashion and Textile Technology Department (FTT) will host the Runway 9.0 fashion show on April 16 in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. Runway will highlight the best work of students and alumni designers.

The first show is at 3 p.m. and the second show is at 8 p.m.

Runway is produced by students, with assistance from the faculty from the fashion department. The communication design, media production, music and hospitality departments also work in collaboration toward the show.

This year’s theme is Eco-lution: ecology plus evolution.

“The theme is a hot topic,” said Erin Habes, production coordinator and director of Runway. “It’s about being aware of consuming too much, too fast, trying to educate the Buffalo community about sustainability, and caring for the environment.”

This year’s senior designers are each defining Eco-lution in their own way.

Runway’s senior designers include Veronica Michalek, Anna Dusza, Naisha Brock, Andrew Johnson, Megan Luongo, Toni Digetti, Jessika Harrison, and Tatiana Antoinette Martin.

“Senior designers are working with the theme by using natural dyes and fabrics” Habes said.

Senior designers were required to submit their garments to a jury of selection one month prior to the event. The jury then gives feedback on marketability, styling, fabrication, and quality of each garment. Then the best are invited to the show.

“I loved our jury members this year,” Habes said. “They said the works from our students were true strokes of genius, and that’s something I’ve never heard before.”

The Burchfield Penney Art Center, in collaboration with FTT announced that Charles E. Burchfield’s wallpaper designs will be threaded into clothing created by the students.

The designs created by Burchfield come from his time at the M.H. Birge & Sons wallpaper company in Buffalo. His designs were so successful that the company included his name in the selvage, a strip along the edge of the paper that would be cut off when the paper is applied to the wall.

The designs created by Burchfield are representations of the originals.

“In some cases the designs are mirrored in order to accommodate the students’ designs,” said Tullis Johnson, curator and manager of archives at the Burchfield Penney. “In other cases the printed fabrics are cut and reassembled in interesting ways.”

According to The New York Times, matching wallpaper to outfits is dynamic and a growing trend.

The show also includes some new changes, with more to look forward to.

“There’s going to be a few theatrical elements to the show as well,” said Habes.

Buffalo State’s dance team will introduce the show, which Habes expects will surprise the audience.

“Our set design is also new,” Habes added. “Goodwill has donated 1,000 white t-shirts. The theater department will design the set with the shirts, and then donate them back to Goodwill.”

Runway will also have a visiting all-white collection from Beijing, China.

“It should be beautiful, their level of creativity is amazing,” Habes said.

Buffalo State professor David Brinson will also have work featured in the show.

Habes expects all of the student and faculty collections to be strong.

“Our items are over-the-top this year, and the department has really benefited from the level of technology we have,” Habes said.

Also through the show, anyone can enter to win a New York City Fashion Getaway. The trip includes two nights of accommodations in NYC, a $250 Visa gift card, Fashion District behind-the-scenes tour, gallery passes, a private shopping experience and more.

Raffle tickets and tickets for the show can be purchased at runway.buffalostate.edu.

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