Erie 1 BOCES FUSION Fashion Show showcases clothing made by Alden High School student

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  Gretchen Czelusta

West Seneca (May 13, 2022) - Students in the Erie 1 BOCES Fashion Design Technology program hit the runway with their clothing designs during the 2022 FUSION Fashion Show: Silver Linings.

Among those students is Gretchen Czelusta from Alden High School, who showcased her personally designed and crafted collections during the show. Gretchen said one inspiration for her work is creating gender neutral clothing.

“I am a firm believer that fashion, clothes, and color do not have a gender or shouldn’t have genders assigned to certain pieces,” Gretchen said.

The FUSION Fashion Show, which has been running since 2009, took place on May 12 at the Calspan Building at 4411 Genesee Street, Buffalo, and exhibited the work of ten high school fashion students from across Western New York. The theme for the show was developed by students, who said they considered their studies in the program as a silver lining as COVID impacted their school and personal lives.

Gretchen said her favorite part of her fashion studies has been in designing and sewing.

“Seeing your designs on paper suddenly turn into something real feels so rewarding,” she said.

After high school, Gretchen plans to attend Genesee Community College to study fashion business.

The show has evolved into a collaborative event across various Erie 1 BOCES programs. Students in the Barbering and Cosmetology program used their skills to prepare the hair and makeup of models participating in the show, while Criminal Justice students provided support for security. Students in the Digital Media program created posters and tickets for the show and recorded the live show. Meanwhile, students in the Video Production and Recording Arts program made videos to introduce each fashion student and their collection during the show.

The two-year Fashion Design Technology program at Erie 1 BOCES’ Harkness Career & Technical Center teaches students how to dress, style and create trends based on design elements and the fashion cycle.  Students in the program also develop business plans as a part of their studies, setting them up for future success.

For more information about the show and the student designers, visit https://www.e1b.org/en/k-12-education-programs/fusion-2022.aspx

About Erie 1 BOCES

As part of public education, Erie 1 BOCES offers a variety of career and technical programs during the regular school day to high school students in Erie County. High school students interested in learning more about how they can participate in various programs such as fashion design, web and gaming technologies, health careers or aviation technology, should visit www.e1b.org/cte or speak with their high school counselor.

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