Even though Mrs. Ashbacher has been on maternity leave, that didn’t stop Norwalk High School fashion students from holding their annual fashion show on April 17.
Mrs. Cygan was the second-semester substitute for Mrs. Ashbacher, who was in charge of helping out with the fashion show process.
“This semester I’ve just been assisting the students with their last garments,” Cygan said. “So if they have questions, I’ll answer anything like that, but otherwise I’ve just been letting them independently work because they’re all great workers.”
Cygan said she has background experience in fashion arts too. She has a bachelor’s degree in apparel design, and worked as a product designer for 3.5 years. Cygan also said she has participated in Omaha Fashion Week multiple times.
“This is a hobby of mine I very much enjoy, so being able to see the students express that creativity…it’s really great to see,” she said.
Cygan said the students have been doing a fabulous job.
“I am impressed,” she said. “They have a great collection.”
Cygan said each student will get a chance to present their hard work at the fashion show.
“Each student will have time on the fashion show, to show their line,” she said. “Each of them will have their name and a theme.”
Through the fashion show, students have the opportunity to learn more about fashion and design through the creation of their own lines.
Sophomore Alberta Rhodes said she likes working with clothes, and that Fashion Arts class helps her learn helpful skills.
“It gives me a lot of skills that I can use for out-there fashion, which can get very expensive,” Rhodes said. “And to make it yourself as well.”
Rhodes said taking Fashion Arts has been a way for her to express herself.
“I am a very artistic person, so doing fashion has been a great outlet for that creativity,” she said. “One of the ways I express myself is through fashion.”
Rhodes said she gets to work with her peers and her friends too, as part of the class.
“I’ve been working with a bunch of my friends to be models, and they have been very great at working with students to make stuff,” she said.
Junior Eva Matthias said she decided to take the class for her interests, which she shows through her clothing line.
“My fashion line is based on what I wear on an everyday basis,” she said.
Matthias said she has also gained new skills in class that she did not know beforehand.
“Different techniques on an item like hemming, on the edge of your clothes, so that it’s not raw,” she said.
Matthias said with her experiences, she feels ready for the fashion show.
“I feel good about the project,” she said.
