Lauren Gilbert's denim jacket was modeled at a recent fashion show in Dallas.

Local student's design hits Dallas runway show

By: Taylor Stephens

Posted: 6/25/09

Lauren Gilbert, a junior merchandising major, traveled to Dallas April 16 to watch her award-winning denim jacket design be modeled at the Fashion Group International's Career Day, a day devoted to the talents of people wishing to further their careers in fashion.

After having her design chosen as one of the 100 winners out of 500 entries, Gilbert was awarded the opportunity to have her denim jacket design modeled and walked on a runway.

Kathleen Heiden, a professor of merchandising and consumer studies, said she witnessed Gilbert's triumph.

"There were 30 schools from 16 different states and another school from a different country," Heiden said. "It was a pretty big competition."

The FGI, a company that prides itself on being the authority on the business of fashion and design, holds an annual career day in which young adults wanting to develop their careers in fashion are offered an educational outreach program.

"The career day is only held for one day, and if a design is selected by a panel of judges or it wins an award, it goes to be modeled in the fashion show," Heiden said.

Gilbert competed in the FGI's Career Day with other fashion and merchandising students in the country for a chance to have her design modeled in the FGI's fashion show in Dallas.

"It was really exciting to get to watch all of the really well-made garments go down the runway," Gilbert said. "It was very inspiring."

In the competition, there are six categories including Apparel, Denim DIFFA Jacket, Four-Legged Fashion, Merchandise Board, Trend Board and Standard Measurements. Gilbert's design was entered under the Denim DIFFA Jacket category.

Gilbert expressed her excitement to see one of her garments be walked down an actual runway.

"It really is a dream of mine to have more garments following in my jacket's footsteps down a runway," Gilbert said. "I thought it was really exciting to have hundreds of other people see something that I had created and am so proud of. I just feel really honored that I, of all the entries, was chosen."

She said that even though her design will not continue to any other competition, the jacket will be used by the FGI in an auction. Proceeds from the auction will go to the advancement of AIDS research.

"I will definitely try to work on another garment for next year's competition," Gilbert said. "I didn't really know what to expect this year, but now that I have seen some of the amazing garments that other people have created, I have a better idea of what to create for next year."