Buskirk-Chumley rolls out red carpet

Alison Zook felt like a Barbie doll as she waited backstage at the Buskirk-Chumley Thursday night. "And it smells like an old Barbie doll," she said as she held the black vintage dress to her nose.\nZook was one of many Bloomington residents, including her mother, who modeled the latest fall lines from local clothing stores at the first ever "Fashion + Function + Art," a fashion show to benefit the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.\nKate Braun, a Bloomington native and professional actress, also donned vintage wear, playing the role of model.\nHer acting roots took over as she led other models through lines of "My Fair Lady," getting into the spirit of their clothes from Ladi's Legacies Vintage Clothing, 515 W. Kirkwood Ave., one of the first of 12 collections presented Thursday. \nBraun also claimed to be getting into the role of a model as she poked fun at stereotypes. \n"I just threw up in the trash can," she said with a smile. "No, I'm kidding."\nNearby, the men were also in high spirits backstage. Also they were into the fashion. They took pins out of each others' jackets and gave opinions on the outfits.\n"You have to match the bag with a color in your shirt. It makes the green pop," John Bailey said to fellow model Kurt Lawson, who was hesitant about the briefcase he was assigned to model. "You have to accessorize."\nGeorge Murphy, a local builder moonlighting as a model, practiced his signature move of snapping and twirling his accessories as he waited in the wings.\nAside from the fashion and fun of the evening, the purpose was to raise money.\nDr. Ron Hawkins, owner of Optiks, an eyewear store on Kirkwood Avenue, funded the event. All proceeds were donated to the Buskirk-Chumley.\n"The Buskirk-Chumley is the pulse of Bloomington," said Stephanie Harrison, an employee of Optiks and coordinator of the fashion show.\n"I always wanted something that showed off Bloomington local merchants," said Harrison, a Bloomington native and former theater and criminal justice major at IU.\nAll of the clothes featured in Thursday's event were from local stores. In addition, the models were all Bloomington residents. \nThe result was a piqued interest in local merchandise from both the models and audience.\nModel Elizabeth Bitz said she definitely plans to buy some of the featured clothes. \n"Some of these shops are in the corner, and you don't think about them," she said, "but they're really unique."\nBloomington native Sarah Fargo also saw something she liked. As an IU apparel merchandising major she took the inspiration one step further, making plans to knit clothing similar to a hand-made, multicolored poncho from Yarns Unlimited, 101 W. Kirkwood Ave., featured in the show. "I've made scarves before, but never anything that big. It was great." \nLeslie Phillips, a third-year IU optometry student, also found personal stimulation. "I'm really into fashion, especially in the high-end area. This definitely gives me ideas for future promotions."\nWith attendance close to 300 and tickets $10 a piece, the event was decidedly a hit. Few were seen sampling the local cuisine and watching the models without a smile.\n"It's definitely something I would do again," Harrison said.