Not many pieces of clothing feature the obscure styles of soft circuitry or upsycled t-shirts, but then not many pieces of clothing are considered art. That’s what makes the designs—and their designers—of the 2011 Art to Wear show stand out.

This year is the 10th anniversary of Art to Wear, a fashion show that celebrates a blend of art and fashion put on almost entirely by student volunteers. The show is the combined effort of the College of Design and the College of Textiles.

Currently, the student designers involved are preparing for the “jurying” process in which a jury, made up of fashion professionals outside the University, will review two designed pieces each student has created. The jurors will then decide if that particular student should be in the show.

According to Katelyn Sexton, a senior in art and design and textile technology, around 35 designers turn up to be reviewed by the jury but only 12 to 15 of them will be featured in the show.

“It’s pretty competitive,” said Amanda Hagemann, a senior in art & design.

While the designers prepare for the jury, the rest of the team is working on arrangements for the actual show in April.

“Fundraising is the biggest challenge,” Sexton said. “The show is fully funded through fundraising and donations.”

“We start from scratch every year,” said Leigh Hawkins, a senior in art and design and textile technology.

Hawkins explained that there are about 10 committees responsible for different aspects of the preparations, including maintaining the website, getting the stage ready and handling the money.

“They are all student volunteers,” says Hawkins.

The designers work constantly throughout all of these preparations, spending many sleepless nights getting ready for the chance to showcase their labor.

Each designer generally works with a theme and is inspired by many different aspects of the world around them or by others’ work as in Hagemann’s case.

“Mine is inspired by bioluminescence,” Hagemann said. “There was a show at the Gregg [Museum], and there were electronic weavings. I was really inspired to start researching that.”

Hagemann explained that because she is incorporating technology into her designs, she often designs directly on the dress form, which is unlike how it would be done for a traditional fashion design. She also said she is learning as she goes along.

“I got a grant to research electronic textiles,” she said.

Lindsay Gilliam, a senior in architecture, is utilizing a process called upsycling to create dresses made entirely out of gray t-shirts. Upsycling is using old materials to make something newer or of better value. Gilliam weaves together a new dress with the old shirts by altering them into thick strands. She said her inspiration came from her Study Abroad experience in Prague.

“I interned for InStyle magazine in Prague, and we featured a designer who did hand knitted garments,” Gilliam said.

For her designs, Jennifer Mahaffey, a senior in art and design, is using only hands made out of hand-dyed muslin.

“Everything is going to be made out of hands or decorated with hands,” Mahaffey said.

Her designs are based from a project she did in her first fibers studio and a design of hers that was featured in the 2010 Art to Wear pre-show.

“For that one, the theme was the inability to speak because of traumatic experiences,” Mahaffey said.

Keely Cansler, a senior in textile technology, was featured in the show last year. This year, her designs are based on the five stages of dealing with grief.

“There will be a piece that’s based off of depression and anger and stuff like that,” Cansler said.

To prepare for her designs, Cansler said she sketches a lot, but does not necessarily look at other design work for inspiration.

“I do a lot of research,” she said. “I design based off words and feelings instead of looking at other designers. I do a lot of thumbnail sketches.”

Working with Art to Wear provides the designers a chance to express their creativity and get experience in fashion and designing.

“It’s a good opportunity to showcase your skills,” Hagemann said.

Cansler enjoys the student-run aspect of the show.

“I think it’s a really cool thing because students run it, organize it and you’ve got students actually in it,” she said. “I think that’s a cool aspect of it.”

Despite the stress of preparation and the fierce competition, the student designers are excited for the show and hope that students will come out and see what they have been working on.

“It’s a really great showcase of students. A lot of people don’t get to see what goes on in the College of Design and the College of Textiles,” Hagemann said.

Mahaffey put it more simply, saying, “It really is amazing to see what people did. It’s really exciting.”