Think that Pittsburgh doesn’t have a fashion scene? Think again. Last month, Carnegie Mellon University held it’s annual student-run Lunar Gala Fashion Show. The coolest part? Students across all majors and disciplines participate, resulting in an impressive mashup of technology, textiles, and dance. This year’s theme was FEROX, a return to primal instincts inspired by technology’s takeover of humankind, and we were living for it. Here are 7 things that we couldn’t stop talking about.
1. Style412’s Fashion Passport
Pittsburgh’s own Style412 created a passport full of discounts to local shops like Steel City, Ruhling Woven, The Edie Company, One Brilliant, planetHEMP, and Royal. Passports were included in each gift bag for VIP ticket holders.
2. Crazy Textiles
They made a dress out of what?! This year’s designers used anything and everything, from plants to heat-producing materials. The designers behind Chroma formed pieces by heat bending individual strips of plexiglass and stretching fabric over top of it.
3. Statement Designers Addressing Social Justice and Equality
CMU freaking nailed this. Standout designer, Messiah, used pieces to make statements about transgression, black freedom, LGBT rights, and unity. And Travaille transformed traditional menswear to show the power of femininity at work.
4. Fresh Catwalks
Lunar Gala runway models spent weeks practicing choreographed walks. Our favorite was from design team Inertia – all of the models circled the runway in unison to a fiery Hans Zimmer piece. Dead.
5. Fashion x Architecture Looks
Stack featured looks made out of laser-cut foam boards that fit together like puzzle pieces around the models, leaving audience members in awe over how they fit a person in the middle of each look.
6. Private VIP Lounge and All the Free Red Bull
Yes. What else do you need in life? Each VIP ticket came with access to a private VIP Lounge where guests could sip on Red Bull mocktails. Bonus – all Lunar Gala guests were prepped for the after party with a free Red Bull as they exited the show.
7. Hella Dancing
In-between runway acts, the Lunar Gala team put on 3 choreographed dance shows that matched the FEROX theme. They saved the best for last with a choreographed take on human evolution and how technology has impacted our species.
Be sure not to miss the next one, scheduled for Chinese New Year 2019. In the meantime, check out Pittsburgh designer Elaine Healy, who will be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week at the end of the month, and keep scrolling for a few more of our favorite walks.
