NDSU’s annual Fashion, Apparel and Business Organization Fashion Show is moving to an online format. Instead of a typical face-to-face fashion show, students have decided to produce a virtual show through social media. The move was necessary due to social distancing guidelines.

Scheduled for April 29-30, the show is titled “RE: Fashion.” It will focus on sustainability in the fashion industry. The show will consist of a series of posts on the FABO Facebook page, FABO Instagram and the Department of Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design’s Facebook page.

“For 19 years, FABO has created a fashion show on the NDSU campus for an audience of up to 450 people. About 100 to 150 of attendees were high school students who came to campus to learn about our programs and about NDSU,” said senior lecturer Sara Sunderlin, who is the faculty adviser for the group.

The student group held a virtual planning meeting last week through the Zoom video conferencing app.

“Two main themes were discussed,” Sunderlin said. “The students have worked with small businesses and have a strong desire to help them now when they can’t operate in their usual mode of business. The other theme was a sense of normal – of something to look forward to. Continuing to plan the show is a way to have a little light in people’s lives.

The students will highlight local designers, student designers and retailers that practice sustainability in their products.

“The students are working in committees with the goals of reusing, thrift or vintage shopping and buying local. All of these goals will be honored in the online format,” Sunderlin said. “I'm looking forward to the 2020 show, and I am proud that the students have come together to see this vision through.”

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