Students have flair for fashion

"We're not going to be able to do this," someone says. Others glance at watches, raise eyebrows and tersely nod their heads. Some of them are almost professionals; others are apparel and merchandising students in their first fashion show, the organizers said. But all have been running across town to clothing stores since 1 p.m. \nThe models were there to rehearse for the Apparel and Merchandising Organization's annual spring fashion show. The show is free and open to the public, but members will sell raffle tickets before the show for $1 at the door. The raffle will take place at 7.45 p.m. Wednesday in the Frangipani Room in the Indiana Memorial Union. \nThe group plans to raffle off $4,000 worth of merchandise, including items ranging from dinner for two at Grisante's to a $1,400 Vera Wang dress. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Kim Schriener Scholarship Fund. The award is given to a student in the Apparel Merchandising Department each year. The show follows after the raffle at about 8.30 p.m.\nThe waiting models are tired. They're hungry. They want to be done with the rehearsal so they can go home to eat and do homework and maybe even sleep. No such luck. At 7.15 p.m., someone comes to unlock the door, and the two men and 20 women troop inside. \n"They're kind of dead," show officer Katie Koebbe, a senior, said. "We've been running them to and from the retailers all day, so they're pretty exhausted." \nKoebbe and her assistant, senior Nicole Byers, have been running the show since early this year. But they have received a lot of help from student directors, choreographers and the models themselves. The show is held each spring by the organization. It is meant to help promote students' connections with retailers and the work of student designers. Models exhibit student designs and clothing by local and national stores such as Cha-Cha and the Gap. \n"We try to keep it local," Byers said. "We want students to come in and say, 'Oh, that's cute, that's from Urban (Outfitters)' because it's good publicity for everyone."\nThe show is also a way for apparel and merchandising students to show off their designs. Janis Shaffer, director of the Merchandising Education and Research Center, said the show is student-run and is an excellent opportunity for students to make personal contacts with retailers. \n"I'm always impressed with the way the students put it together," Shaffer said. "It's a lot of fun."\nFreshman Jon Berne, one of four male models participating, said he agreed. Berne, who has modeled for Bloomingdale's, said he had to practice every week for an hour and a half. "It has been a lot of work," Berne said. "But it's definitely been worth it"