SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Senior fashion design students at Syracuse University usually present their work in a fashion show before graduation, but this year the show is taking a different format.
The fashion program holds classes in The Nancy Cantor Warehouse, just over a mile away from Syracuse University’s main campus. Mackenzie Scanlan, a senior in the program, has been looking forward to revealing her final six pieces in a fashion show.
“Since freshman year I think we’ve all been like waiting for this big show where your whole family, friends, and whoever else who has no idea what you are like doing down at this weird place,” Scanlan said. “And then all of a sudden you have this like really cool collection.”
The fashion show, which usually happens in April, will not have a live audience this year. Instead, the show will be professionally filmed and edited into a condensed video of the seniors’ collections.
According to Todd Conover, one of the professors in the fashion design program, said a virtual format can actually be a good thing for students.
“It’s going to be different,” Conover said. “There’s no doubt about it. But I think in a very positive way, it will actually be very successful in that so many more people will be able to see it.”
Scanlan said she understands what needs to be done to keep everyone safe, but a big celebration is what she will miss the most.
“It was always just something everyone has been looking forward to since the start, and to not have it be as big of an event is definitely upsetting,” Scanlan said.
Although it is disappointing to the seniors, Conover is hopeful the edited video will bring even more opportunities to the future graduates.
Scanlan’s dream job is to design or personal style for a celebrity. She said it is not the type of job that you can apply for on LinkedIn. Now, the seniors will be able to show the video to future employers as part of their application.
Conover said the program might continue to make a video in conjunction with a live show in the future.
