Anna Hennings has spent her college Picnic Days involved in fashion events on campus. Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo
In this Spotlight
- Spotlight home
- It's a whole day of Earth-friendly consciousness
- Tom pipes up for the good, the bad and the out of tune — and Twinkies
- Erin gives a family-centered guide to the parade, free stuff and dogs
- Anna dishes out the goods on UC Davis' fashion and tie-dyeing scenes
- Adhanet offers a tour of art galleries — with a big plus: student work
Anna dishes out advice on UC Davis' fashion and tie-dyeing scenes
I have always been dedicated to the day's fashion events. Wait. Fashion? At UC Davis? Yes! Rain or shine, the campus's Design Program and Department of Textiles and Clothing have madetheir marks on Picnic Day history.
The Fashion Show
The latest fashion collections will hit the runway in Freeborn Hall, where the Runway Designers Club will present this year's fashion show, Signature, free of charge. The house lights will dim and spotlights illuminate at 12:30 p.m.
In the past, the free tickets have run out extremely fast, and lines formed more than an hour before show time. Thankfully, the show has moved to Freeborn this year, which accommodates 1,200 people, 800 more than last year. But to secure admission and a good seat, I still recommend getting there at least a half-hour to an hour early. The club will only present one show, instead of the typical two, so the crowd will undoubtedly be large.
The senior design students' Signature Collections will highlight the fashion show, but you should also keep an eye out on lower division students' talent with several submissions.
Runway fashions like a senior thesis
"The show is like a senior thesis, " says Susan Avila, professor of design."It is a body of work that reflects an individual's own idea rather than an assignment."
With 25 students participating, there are more designers involved this year than ever before, and creativity will flourish. Watch for innovative style lines and unique fabrics.
"Many of us are making our own [fabrics] through digital and screen-printing and dyeing, " says Laurie Harris, a senior design student from Hayward and Runway Designers Club co-president."Also look for small details like beading, embroidery and crochet. "
The students spend hundreds of hours fashioning their garments' minute details, and having seen the collections in progress, Harris believes"they are much more dynamic and creative" this year.
Alyssa Lichtenstein numbers among the designers to watch in this year's show. (Debbie Aldridge/UC Davis photo)
Who are the 'it girls'?
Wondering who the"it girls " are? With too many promising designers to list in detail, Professor Avila briefly mentions Alyssa Lichtenstein, senior design student from San Jose and the club's other co-president, and her reinterpretation of floral prints, as well as Li Lai of Cupertino, who has created a line of chic and wearable political propaganda.
Emilia McFarland, a student from Vacaville, has created a line of skirts - for men! - and Walnut Creek resident Erica Strandberg's San Francisco architecture-inspired collection should not be overlooked.
The fashion show has evolved since my days of modeling in it. For my first-ever Picnic Day three years ago, I dove into the fashion scene headfirst. Dressed in a flashy gold skirt and sheer navy paint-printed top, wearing makeup and a crazy hairdo (in which I'd prefer to never again be seen in public), and a pair of too-small heels, I got my 15 minutes of fame — more realistically, 30 seconds - strutting down the runway in front of Walker Hall to loud, bass-pumping music.
Laurie Harris reports many of the student designers make their own fabrics through digital and screen-printing and dyeing. (Debbie Aldridge/UC Davis photo)
How the shows have improved
With better technology available to the designers as well as in the venues, the shows have stepped it up a notch each year. First, the venue has moved from being under a canopy outside Walker Hall to indoor venues better suited for creative lighting, comfortable audiences and avoiding poor weather.
Secondly, the designs grow increasingly more impressive and innovative; the models become more confident in their walks and stage presence, and the audience grows tremendously in size and support."Signature " is bound to be Picnic Day's head-turning spectacle. And should you miss it, you can see it again in San Francisco at 12:30 p.m. May 6 in the Golden Gate Room of the Fort Mason Center.
A tie-dye tradition
The tie-dyeing event, always an interactive, colorful event perfect for all ages, will be held on the porch of Everson Hall between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.It is sponsored by the Department of Textiles and Clothing and the Student Fashion Association.
The student association will sell merchandise for $5 each, and the profits will benefit the club.
Choose from a selection of women's, men's and children's sizes in cotton crewneck T-shirts and tank tops. Onesies will also be available for the little ones, as will pet handkerchiefs (only $1).
"Every design is original, " says Joan Chandler, textiles and clothing and club staff adviser."People even love doing it for their dogs. "
The group not only expects an expanded selection of shirt styles this year but more dye colors as well. And if you are thinking about mixing colors, don't forget to review your color wheel before heading out for the day.
Experts with rubber bands and die
I have worked this event for the past two years, from managing the shirt sales to helping rubber-band and dye. There are always helpers at each station, the most expert of which are the textile science graduate students at the dyeing tables. They really know their stuff and are there to help you.
I've taken the"Textile Coloration and Finishing " upper-division textile science course. And my tie-dyeing advice? Try not to saturate your shirt with dye colors opposite each other on the color wheel (red and green, yellow and purple, blue and orange), because it could easily bleed and result in a brown, muddy mess.
Use the pipettes provided - don't dip your shirt into the dye vats. And be sure to rubber-band very tightly.
Suggestions for improved designs
Thomas Fong, a veteran Picnic Day tie-dyer and senior textiles and clothing major from Sacramento, also suggests that folks"be creative in rubber-banding your shirt. There is no one right method. The more you rubber-band, the more patterns and color variations your shirt will have. But if you want the classic tie-dye swirl, [the most popular design], it helps to use a fork and twist the shirt around the fork, starting from the shirt's center."
All necessary supplies, including plastic forks, rubber bands and gloves, will be at their respective stations.
You can bring your own
More than 20 years ago the tie-dyeing tradition"started out as bring-your-own-shirt, but not everyone would get the word, " staff adviser Chandler says. You can still bring your own shirt (or socks, or pillowcase, or …) and tie-dye for free, but if you are like most people at Picnic Day, you won't have one with you.
Since shirts are available in all styles and sizes, be sure to get there as early as possible for the best selection. Usually only T-shirts in men's extra large and children's small are left at the end of the day.
So whether you want to brighten up your wardrobe with some psychedelic tie-dye or want to see what styles the runway prescribes, or both, the UC Davis fashion programs can entertain you for hours.