Combining themes of technology and empathy, the community debuted a mixture of fashion and robotics in the second-ever on-campus fashion show. It was held in the McArdle Theater from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15. Designers took inspiration from several references, from swashbuckling pirates to ballet dancers to Barbie.
The show was a result of multiple groups on campus. The Michigan Tech Theater Division produced the show, while professors Jason Archer and Mary Cyr formed the theme. The Visual and Performing Arts Department created the visuals and sound design. The designers were professors, students, and community members interested in fashion.
Evoking the futuristic theme, the show opened with an AI-generated female voice. Retro and futuristic visuals flashed on the backdrop and screens in the center of the runway. Models walked across a hexagonal runway on the same level as the floor, forming little distance between them and the audience members. The small theater was flooded with brightly colored lights on and off the runway. The pulse of futuristic music kept the momentum for the 30-minute show.
The models were a mix of ages and backgrounds. HuskyBot showed off Spot, a robot from Boston Dynamics. Its fluid movement contrasted with its hard metal skeleton. Additionally, several smaller robots dressed in soft clothing posed for the audience, guided by operators. For humans, some designers modeled their own creations. They used makeup, phones, lights, and Daft Punk-esque masks to communicate their message through fashion.
The announcer encouraged the audience to vote for their favorite look of the night. On Friday night, the audience voted “The Cost of Engagement” by designers Riy Dalman and Grady Williams (modeled by Dalman) as the favorite. Dalman posed on the runway as if taking a selfie, wearing an extremely wide-brimmed sun hat adorned with heavy tassels and a phone obscuring half of his face. The message resonated with the audience and led to their victory.
The wide interpretability of the theme inspired the designers in a variety of ways. Michigan Tech Senior Tara Estrada, who created multiple looks, said that at one point the sewing machine was revolutionary. Technology can be anything, as shown by the variety of looks. Although Estrada graduates this year, she hopes to participate or at least watch next year’s show. Participation is open to the community, and organizers hope to keep growing participation in the designer and audience numbers.
