Diverse World Fashion (DWF) magazine is one of many Tallahassee-based fashion publications. The magazine encourages student creativity by allowing them to direct photo shoots and style models, writing ideas surrounding a one-word theme each semester. In addition to their magazine, DWF also hosts a semi-annual runway. Held on Nov. 14, the fall runway followed the theme “Threads of Time.”
“I think media and publications like [DWF] need to exist to provide different perspectives of authenticity, which is one thing that I think is kind of lacking in this day and age, when everything is kind of promoted or designed for us, these decisions are picked for us, as far as fashion trends and all that stuff,” graduate student Austin Bezdek said to the FSView. “I think groups like this and productions like independent magazines are places that are good for the community and promote authenticity.”
The audience was taken through over 10 eras of history, through the present and into the future. Stylists were given complete creative freedom to interpret their time period however they pleased, crafting an imaginative artistic experience.
“I think there was a lot of freedom to interpret [the theme] however the designers wanted to,” Bezdek said. “And I think it opened the door just to different perspectives into time and how we present it today.”
One of the many eras of the runway was Ancient Greece. Earlier time periods presented a unique challenge because there is less concrete evidence as to how people in Ancient Greece actually dressed. DWF had art history major Andrea Jinesta take the reins of this era, as she had textbooks discussing the colors, shapes and materials of early Greek clothing.
“I relied on my major a lot and I went through a lot of my books that I had,” Jinesta said to the FSView. “I used seventh-century Etruscan artifacts to make the patterns on her dress and her cape and I use my archeology background to make it. So I’m really happy about it, as it’s something I studied.”
Jinesta dressed her model in flowing fabrics that echoed the sculptural drapery of Ancient Greek statues. Her model floated down the runway, highlighting the magnificent cape adorned with hand-painted Etruscan patterns, an art style popularized by the Etruscan civilization between the first and 10th centuries BCE.
Historic fashion trends have influenced runways since their invention. In recent years, designers have shown a renewed interest in the extravagance of Rococo-style fashion: Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2024 collection combined the exaggerated silhouettes, ruffles and materials of this era with a playful provocation.
“I focused on adding a bit of a fun, modern twist on the traditional fashion of that time. I took inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s ‘Marie Antoinette,’ which showcased lavish ensembles of beautiful dresses, shoes and accessories,” stylist Cali Fesler said to the FSView. “I had a lot of fun curating this look, trying to make it have a flirty and romantic feel as Rococo fashion reflected a cultural shift in society that celebrated a love for art and beauty.”
Fesler curated this Marie Antoinette-style outfit along with a flapper-inspired ensemble that showcased the glitz, glamour and increased gender equality of a post-WWI United States. Both outfits take inspiration from historic examples of clothing people actually wore while integrating contemporary fashion trends like patterned tights, short skirts and extravagant makeup.
“I think it’s super important to remember our history and fashion does a great job at that. Despite the skewed, stereotypical opinions society has about the fashion industry, fashion truly reflects our history. It’s so much more than just pretty clothes; it is an image of historical culture,” Fesler said. “Fashion has always and will continue to mirror the societal, cultural and economic changes that we experience until the end of time. Furthermore, fashion has always been used as a way to combat and challenge societal norms as they change, giving people a platform for their voices to be heard.”
Fashion as an art is often overlooked, especially because clothing is something we all wear every day. Even some commercial designers deny fashion as an artistic medium. Still, there is much to be said about the effort many stylists put into curating outfits that make a statement about social issues.
“Personal fashion is a core belief that I have in expressing yourself, and your personal style and really finding yourself and how you want to be perceived,” Tallahassee local and FSU alum Lindsay Schlueter said to the FSView. “Through clothing and your hair and makeup and everything. So, fashion is so important for society and having that in FSU is so important.”
Theatre student Amberly Calero styled for the 1950s, crafting an outfit that combined the style of Tropicana Nightclub performers with a profound message about the sordid history of Cuba under Fulgencio Batista’s rule.
Under this leadership, Cuba became a place of corruption, mob violence and political extortion. Native Cubans grew hungry as American mafia members and politicians lived in luxury and Calero thought this dichotomy was best represented through the life of a poor but glamorous showgirl.
“My look tells the fictitious story of a nightclub worker who turns to the July 26th (26-7) movement of the Castros for change, hearing their goals as a promise of food and shelter and security in a country that does not care about its own citizens. Thus, she dons one of their jackets and joins the revolution,” Calero said. “It is neither a celebration nor a condemnation of Castro’s policy or rule. My work aims to demonstrate why Cuba was brought to such change and challenge the all too present notion that socialism and communism in Latin America are simply evil phenomena. It is a direct result of American imperialism and corruption, and it is my job as a Cuban American to point out these discrepancies.”
Through these creative expressions at the “Threads of Time” runway, DWF demonstrated that fashion is not just about aesthetics; it’s a powerful medium for storytelling and cultural reflection. DWF provided a stage for stylists to showcase their knowledge of history and reflect on what history we choose to remember and which aspects are often forgotten.
“When you make a piece about time, it’s important to say something about history with your art,” Calero said. “I thought that avoiding such topics or critical analysis of my period would be a personal failure to recognize the nuances of history.”
Grace Myatt is a Senior Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
