Behind the scenes at Art2Wear

What happens before the models stride out onto the runway at this year’s Art2Wear fashion show? The NC State student designers participating in this year’s show will share behind-the-scenes details on how they create their eye-popping designs that result in a dazzling visual experience in “Inside Art2Wear” in the D. H. Hill Jr. Auditorium on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 4:00 p.m. and again on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the Hunt Library Teaching and Visualization Lab. Both events are free and open to the public.

Art2Wear is one of NC State’s most extraordinary annual events—a student-organized runway show that presents fashion, costume, and wearable sculpture created by students of the College of Design.

Justin LeBlanc teaches art and design at NC State and directs Art2Wear. He was also a finalist on Project Runway. LeBlanc knows both the pressures and the joys of the fashion design process.

“In design, there are no right or wrong answers, he says. “The possibilities in design are endless, and the best part about it is the journey that a designer takes.”

“One thing that many people don’t know is that the design process is extremely up and down and backwards and forwards,” says Samantha Lackey, a student designer. “When designing something, you can start with one idea and end with something completely different. Or you’ll be working on something new and find yourself coming back to old ideas. For us it is extremely important to see how our inspiration images continue to guide us through each look.”

On February 6, the following students will present: Sophie Wiseman-Floyd, Cameron Elliott, Sam Lackey, Olivia Koval, Grace Bilbao and Christian Fuda. On February 8, the following students will present: Katie Rant, Keshauna Parker, Laura Wyker and Louis Bailey.