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GCC's fashion business program presents 'A Night at the Cinema' for 43rd annual fashion show

By Press Release
gcc2023fashionshow-1.jpg
Photo from GCC's 42nd fashion show in May 2023 by Nick Serrata. 

Press Release:

Genesee Community College's Fashion Business Program is thrilled to announce the theme for its highly anticipated annual fashion show, scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. The event will take place at the Richard C. Call Arena, promising an unforgettable evening that pays homage to the timeless connection between cinema and fashion.

In a world where streaming services have reshaped the way we consume entertainment, "A Night at the Cinema" aims to revive the enchantment of a bygone era when movie theaters were the epicenter of cinematic magic. The theme celebrates the profound influence that movies have had on the world of fashion and invites attendees to relive the nostalgia of a night out at the theaters.

"Movies have been a constant source of inspiration for the fashion industry, shaping trends and influencing style for decades. However, with the rise of streaming services, the communal experience of going to a movie theater has somewhat diminished," said Laura Taylor, Assistant Professor of Fashion Business and Merchandising. "With 'A Night at the Cinema,' we seek to recreate the joy of watching a film on the big screen and the shared experience of being in a movie theater with loved ones."

The fashion show aims to transport attendees to a world where the silver screen reigns supreme, evoking the magical ambiance of classic cinemas. Attendees can expect to witness a collection of stunning designs that capture the essence of iconic movie moments.

"Our goal is to create an atmosphere that not only showcases the fusion of fashion and film but also reignites the love for the cinematic experience. Movie theaters provide a unique space for shared adventures, and it's time for us to embrace that communal spirit once again," added student Peter Wybron.

Join us on May 4, 2024, at 6 p.m. at the Richard C. Call Arena for "A Night at the Cinema," where fashion and film collide for a night of elegance, nostalgia, and shared cinematic adventure. For ticket information, please email fashionshow@genesee.edu.

For more information contact Vice President, Development and External Affairs Justin Johnston at (585) 345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.

39th Annual Fashion Show at GCC will be May 2, 'eruption of emotion' through fashion is theme

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Fashion Program students at Genesee Community College announced the 39th Annual Fashion Show will take over the Richard C. Call Arena on Saturday, May 2, at 7 p.m. and no one should miss this "Ebullition" in Fashion!

Earlier in the semester, GCC's Fashion Program student Yuuka Sano unveiled the 39th Annual Fashion Show theme as "Ebullition!" (A sudden violent outburst or display; the act, process, or state of boiling or bubbling up. -- Merriam-Webster Dictionary.)

As the theme dictates, this show will be an eruption of emotion expressed through fashion.

Each scene in the show will be connected through a series of introspective garment selections with specific colors and textures to reflect authentic emotions consistent with the Japanese representation "ki do ai raku" meaning happiness, anger, sadness and joy in English.

With an exciting and powerful theme to guide their selections, the students have already begun to audition scene coordinators, marketing, advertising, sponsorships and scene garments. In the coming months, GCC students will build and coordinate more than a dozen scenes for the fast-paced, professionally produced show.

In addition, the Fashion Show student committees are holding Model Tryouts for all ages in GCC's Batavia Campus Forum on:

  • Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 4 to 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 13, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Anyone interested in becoming a GCC Fashion Show Model should email Fashion Show Marketing Committee Member Jess Piper at jpiper1@my.genesee.edu to schedule a tryout timeslot.

Taking full advantage of the 24,000 square foot indoor field house in the Richard C. Call Arena, "Ebullition" will accommodate up to 2,000 guests and offer ample parking.

This year's students are planning a fully immersive production, which includes preshow interviews and photo ops featuring the coordinators of each scene, and a post-show party and vendor market. Currently, students are seeking vendors to participate in this portion of the program.

There are industry-exclusive sponsorship opportunities available that include public recognition and promotional value. Any business, organization, or individual interested in supporting this year's Fashion Show should contact Debbie Mancuso at (585) 345-6830 or via email at fashionshow@genesee.edu today.

Tickets to the show will go on sale in February -- watch here for details.

The show is also live-streamed around the world.

The Fashion Program at GCC has always been a flagship for the college. The knowledge and experience of the faculty and their dedication to their students has produced quality and professional workplace candidates and well-prepared transfer students since the program's inception more than 40 years ago.

Recently, GCC renewed its articulation agreement with LIM for students in the Fashion Business: Merchandising A.A.S. program. Students who complete the track and degree can seamlessly transfer to LIM to complete their B.B.A. in Fashion Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing or Management.

In addition, GCC is very excited to announce a new articulation agreement with Cazenovia College. This agreement provides a seamless transfer opportunity for GCC's Fashion Business: Merchandising A.A.S. students to Cazenovia's Fashion Merchandising B.P.S. and for GCC's Fashion Business: Fashion Design A.A.S. students to Cazenovia's Fashion Design B.F.A. degree program.

Anyone interested in taking advantage of these transfer opportunities through GCC is encouraged to contact GCC's Student Success Center at (585) 345-6805 or via email at SSC@genesee.edu.

Tickets on sale now for GCC's 'no boundaries' fashion show on May 4 titled 'Limitless'

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Genesee Community College Fashion Program students continue their yearlong preparations for the 38th Annual Fashion Show that is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 4.

This year's theme "Limitless" was chosen by the students of the Fashion Program. It is a no boundaries, inclusive, inspirational and innovative take on fashion.

The show will feature a variety of colors, creativity and originality in an array of designed and styled scenes.

"Limitless" will take place in the 24,000-square-foot indoor field house of the Richard C. Call Arena on the west side of the Batavia Campus.

With plenty of space to accommodate 2,000 guests including ample parking, the students are planning one dynamic, fast-moving production, and a post-show party with entertainment and a vendor market.

Tickets are now available for purchase online here. General admission tickets remain just $5 (plus a ticket processing service fee of $1.30 per ticket.)

This year however, special VIP tickets are also available for $25 (plus a ticket processing service fee of $2.41 per ticket.) providing preferential seating, a GCC Fashion Show SWAG bag, as well as admission to the Vendor Fair, Fashion Show, entertainment and the post-show reception.

For questions or to support "Limitless" send an email to: fashionshow@genesee.edu

(Photo of model in 2018's "Ascendant" fashion show at GCC. )

GCC's 2019 fashion show 'LIMITLESS' seeks sponsors and volunteer models

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College Fashion Program students are continuing in their year-long preparations for the 38th Annual Fashion Show that is scheduled on Saturday, May 4.

There really is a sense of "LIMITLESS" for students planning the program and designing new garments, and also for the community who can participate in the show as volunteer models.

"LIMITLESS" was the theme chosen by the students this year to demonstrate the endlessness of fashion possibilities and the possibilities of embracing the diversity of the GLOW region. With no limits or boundaries, this year's fashion show will draw from both classic and fiery palettes and promises to be innovative, inspirational and inclusive!

It also gives the general community an opportunity to experience the excitement and thrill of strutting down the runway. 

Following the success of "Ascendant," GCC's 37th annual show in 2018, "LIMITLESS" will take place in the 24,000-square-foot indoor Richard C. Call Arena. With plenty of space to accommodate 2,000 guests with ample parking, the students are planning one dynamic, fast-moving production.

There will be pre-show interviews and photo-ops featuring the coordinators of each scene, and a post-show party and vendor market. Currently, students are not only seeking vendors to participate in this portion of the program, but models of all ages.

Models tryouts will be held in the Conable Technology Building at the Batavia Campus on: 

  • Tuesday, Feb. 5, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in T122
  • Wednesday, Feb. 6, 4-5:30 p.m. in T119
  • Thursday, Feb. 7, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in T119

Attend any one of the three events above to try out, and preregistration is not required. Participants will be asked to walk as if on a runway, and those comfortable wearing high-heeled shoes should bring a pair to the tryouts.

The student production team is looking for age, ethnic, gender and aesthetic diversity in models. Ages newborn to 92 are welcome. No prior modeling experience is necessary.

If chosen, models will be required to attend a dress rehearsal the evening of May 3, as well as approximately three to five scene rehearsals as required by the scene coordinator.

To fully appreciate the development of "LIMITLESS," follow @gccfashionprogram on Instagram, @trendygcc on Twitter and the FBM (Fashion Business Merchandising) program blog at https://sunygcc.blog/category/academics/fashion/. Students will be sharing details about the show, their individual scenes and more!

Any business, organization or individual interested in an opportunity to support this year's Fashion Show should contact Debbie Mancuso at (585) 345-6830 or via email at fashionshow@genesee.edu. Business donations start at $10, but event sponsorships are welcome at all levels.

Personal donations of $5 are available, and Fashion Program students will be delighted to schedule a donation pick up or make special arrangements for donations. Sponsors and in-kind donations are included in the Fashion Show Program as well as on the Fashion Show website.

Checks should be made payable to GCCA and can be mailed to Genesee Community College, Fashion Show, One College Road, Batavia NY 14020-9704.

Save the Date: April 28 for GCC's 37th annual Fashion Show, 2018 theme is 'Ascendant'

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Fashion Program students at Genesee Community College are proud to announce the 37th Annual Fashion Show to take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, and everyone is invited to save this date now!

The theme this year is "Ascendant" which carries two separate but equally important definitions. First, "Ascendant" speaks to the rising power GCC has in communicating fashion. This show is the culmination of student learning and it truly delivers the message that fashion is not only thoughtful, but impactful.

Secondly, the term ascendant represents the very first moment of a new day when the sun's path crests the eastern horizon. It typically describes a person's rising sign -- the exact moment of one's birth, dictating by calendar, the astrological sign under which a person is born. Astrological signs have been used to describe character traits of those born under each sign; just one way in which groups of people differ from one another.

The "Ascendant" theme moves beyond recognizing these differences and to use fashion to make statements about moving to appreciate those differences as potential contributions to creative teamwork.

"Ascendant" promises to be a bigger production than ever! It will take place on the 24,000-square-foot indoor field house in the brand new Richard C. Call Arena, which will be transformed into a dreamlike area by the Fashion Program students. With plenty of space and accommodations for 2,000 guests, the students will be putting on one huge production.

The only show will be on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 7 p.m. so make sure to get your seats today!

Tickets to attend the show are available in advance for $5 per person until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25. After that, tickets will be available at the door for $8 per person. To purchase tickets in advance, email fashionshow@genesee.edu today.

Interested in an opportunity to show your support for the Fashion Show? GCC's fashion program students are currently soliciting and accepting production sponsors. Business donation opportunities of $10 and personal donation opportunities of $5 are still available.

Sponsors will be included in the Fashion Show Program as well as on the Fashion Show website. Contact Debbie Mancuso at (585) 345-6830 or via email at fashionshow@genesee.edu to schedule a donation pick up or to make special arrangements for your donation. Checks should be made payable to GCCA and can be mailed to: Genesee Community College, Fashion Show, One College Road, Batavia NY 14020-9704.

To get an inside look at the 37th Annual Fashion Show, Ascendant, follow @trendygcc_ on Instagram and @trendygcc on Twitter. Students will be sharing details about the show and more!

The Fashion Program at GCC has always been a flagship program for the college. The knowledge and experience of the program faculty and the dedication to their students has produced quality and professional workplace candidates and well-prepared transfer students since the program's inception 40 years ago.

Recently, GCC resigned its articulation agreement with LIM for students in the Fashion Business: Merchandising A.A.S. program. Students who complete the track and degree can seamlessly transfer to LIM to complete their B.B.A. in Fashion Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing or Management.

In addition, GCC is very excited to announce a new articulation agreement with Cazenovia College. This agreement provides a seamless transfer opportunity for GCC's Fashion Business: Merchandising A.A.S. students to Cazenovia's Fashion Merchandising B.P.S. and for GCC's Fashion Business: Fashion Design A.A.S. students to Cazenovia's Fashion Design B.F.A. degree program.

Anyone interested in taking advantage of these transfer opportunities through GCC is encouraged to contact GCC's Student Success Center at (585) 345-6805 or via email at SSC@genesee.edu.

GCC's 36th annual fashion show is Saturday: 'Elysium' will showcase a paradise of design

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Genesee Community College's 36th Annual Fashion Show scheduled for Saturday, April 29, which means more than 250 designers, seamstresses, coordinators, models, hospitality, security and refreshment experts, MCs, photographers, videographers and product merchants are all working in high gear.

This year's show entitled, "Elysium," is derived from Greek mythology and describes "an often imaginary place or state of utter perfection and happiness" sometimes referred to as paradise or a land where all beauty lies.

Students are now putting the finishing touches on their interpretations of "Elysium," introducing different Greek gods and goddesses into the design concepts making up 14 separate, fast-moving scenes. Each scene has its own coordinator(s), models, music, merchants and of course, a fashion feast of color, fabric, style, accessories, movement, motion and sensation.

The following highlights the scenes with each coordinator and supportive merchant in the upcoming Fashion Show:

TERPISCHORE - Goddess of Dance and Chorus

Scene Coordinator: Kayla Suchanick (Fredonia)

HADES & PERSEPHONE - God of the Underworld & Goddess of Spring/Underworld

Scene Coordinator: Jenna Curcio (Rochester)

Stores/Designers: Windsor, Autumn Fox Creations, My Witchery, Loy Gross, Vivo Masks, Party City (Greece)

TITANS - Second Generation of Divine Beings

Scene Coordinators: Dominique Hughes (Medina) & Bailey Johnson (Hamlin)

Stores/Designers: Kohl's (Batavia), Taylor Wilson

CHLORIS - Goddess of Flowers

Scene Coordinators & Designers: Naoko Hayashi (Ishikawa, Japan) & Momoka Fukatsu (Shizuoka, Japan)

EURYBIA - Goddess of the Sea

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Nadine Jeffery (Batavia)

ZEUS - King of the Gods

Scene Coordinators & Designers: Anthony Walker (Liberia) & Luke Kondrat (Exeter, NH)

HEMERA & NYX - Goddess of Day & Goddess of Night

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Jesse Foster (Oakfield)

ODYSSEUS - Greek Mythological Hero

Scene Coordinator: Mariah Paddock (Clyde)

Stores: Gitman Bros.

MAAT - Goddess of Truth, Balance & Order

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Alicia Acker (Rochester)

FATES/MOIRAI - Deities of Fate

Scene Coordinators & Designers: Min Muchler (Dansville) & Seonggyung Choe (Busan, South Korea)

NEMESIS - Goddess of Revenge

Scene Coordinators: Lyesha Lantz (Rochester, NY) & Daisha Spence (Raleigh, NC)

Designer: Lyesha Lantz

APOLLO - God of Music

Scene Coordinator & Designer: Masato Tsunekawa (Tokyo, Japan)

GAIA - Goddess of the Earth

Scene Coordinators: Ciera Schwartz (Akron) & Mary Nolan (East Aurora)

Store: Francesca's Collections (Greece)

APHRODITE - Goddess of Love

Scene Coordinator: Kourtney Shearer (Mayville)

Stores/Designers: M.A. Carr Bridal, Dalia's Bridal, Jill Monroe, Megan Hollister, Charles Men's Shop

"Elysium" gives students the opportunity to not only express their creativity and originality, but to tell a story. By tying together elements from Greek mythology and drawing inspiration from the lives and personalities of Greek gods and goddesses, GCC students intend to show how today's fashion is much more than just a materialistic concept. The show will illustrate how GCC fashion students appreciate both art and history, and how aspects from different cultures are presented universally in the fashion world today.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of GCC's annual Fashion Show, the event features two complete shows scheduled on April 29 at 3 and 7 p.m. in the William W. Stuart Forum of GCC's Batavia Campus. Tickets for the show are available for $5 in advance or $7 at the door and can be purchased by calling 585-345-6830. Advance tickets are strongly recommended.

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