Cape High fashion program partners with Lodge

Cape High fashion students and residents at the Lodge at Historic Lewes, a local senior living center, hit the runway for a Denim and Pearls fashion show Feb. 22 at the Lodge.

The students spent much of the past marking period transforming recycled jeans – about 100 pairs in total – into their own unique denim garments. Each student also crafted two to three denim outfits specifically for Lodge residents June Walters, Helen Janson and Ellie Hoffman, and program teacher Alayna Aiken chose the best designs for the women to model at the show.

“I met June, and I met Helen, and I took their pictures and videos of them being their sassy little selves, and I took that to my students, and I said, ‘Now, design,’” Aiken said.

The women’s personalities shined as they strutted and danced, one by one, down the red carpet in their custom-designed outfits, striking poses as they went.

Walters, her shoulders back and chin up, wore a maxi skirt covered in thick strips of denim fringe, designed by senior Milena Buehler. She carried a denim purse, embroidered with her first name and adorned with pearls, designed by junior Alexa Ayella, and she wore a white turtleneck with beaded necklaces.

“Work those hips, girl!” Aiken said, the crowd cheering, as Walters sashayed down the carpet to Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic.” 

“When Melina designed it, I was like, ‘This is amazing,’” Aiken said about Walters’ skirt. “It’s so full of texture; it’s so full of sparkle. It’s interesting.’”

All the students helped to make the skirt, which entailed an enormous amount of work, Aiken said.

Up next was Janson, walking with composure and confidence to the song “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake. 

She donned a denim purse with pearls designed by junior Brianna Holston, and wore a quilted denim maxi skirt designed by senior Alexandria Espinoza. She accessorized with two scarves, one dark blue and sheer, the other white and patterned, atop a plain-white tee.

Hoffman, the last of the three women, modeled a pair of long, loose-fit denim shorts designed by senior Emma Brennan. She paired them with big, bright-blue circular sunglasses and a bright-red bandana on her head, plus striped mid-calf socks, white- and pink-beaded necklaces, a blue scarf around her torso and waist, and a white mock turtleneck shirt layered underneath a baby blue graphic tee.

She exuded sass and style, her energetic strides matching the song “Fireball” by Pitbull playing in the background. Eliciting smiles and cheers throughout the room, she took a moment on the runway to give a kiss to her husband, Tom, who was sitting nearby. 

Nineteen students showcased their own designs – a collection of handmade skirts, dresses, corsets, jackets, hats, pants and bags – on the red carpet. Aiken announced each model’s name and described their look as they went.

“It was so much fun watching [the students] and watching their faces because they’re bringing to life something they had drawn on paper,” Aiken said.

Guests in the audience clapped for each design, admiring the details of the garments as the models walked past. One outfit, that of Benjj Chau, seemed to garner particular attention.

Chau, a student who transferred to Cape this year and is in Aiken’s level-one sewing class, insisted on doing more complex work. He designed and modeled an alternative and experimental look, with a zip-up denim vest with flared shoulders, detached denim sleeves, and jeans with slits and several appliqués. 

“It’s inspired by an avant-garde pirate look, based around a lot of triangles,” Chau said.

“Very edgy, and that’s what I like,” Aiken added. 

She said she pushes her students to think outside the box, encouraging them to be innovative with their work.

“It makes fashion a lot of fun,” she said.