Bright lights meet shimmery, silver fabric as models take the stage and transport their audience to the year 3025 at the Cyber Couture: “The Future of Fashion” Fashion show.
The show features retailers, student designers and models, funded mainly by the monthly vintage markets that take place on Greene Street.
Brelyn Head, USC Fashion Board president and fourth-year retail and fashion merchandising student, was responsible for choosing the "Cyber Couture" theme. Head was inspired by an article written by Women’s Wear Daily analyzing the resurgence of sci-fi fashion.
“I initially saw this article, and I just really saw a vision for the theme, so I kind of ran with it. And so at first, the theme was just around 'futuristic,' the word itself, and then we kind of developed it into what we named it, cyber couture, future fashion,” Head said.
The show features the student designer showcase, which gives student designers the chance to have their work featured in front of an audience. There are normally around 10 students who participate in the showcase each year, each creating one hand-designed look on the runway, Head said.
“People aren't taking something, and buying it and then recreating it. They're creating it from scratch," Head said. "It's really cool to see what students come up with, and no one sees the pieces until they literally are walking the runway."
Along with the showcase, the board works with different retailers in order to bring themes to life. This year's retailers include Urban Outfitters, Morgan Kimberly, Anton and Maxine, Dillards, BOOf® by Thank You Land and Bre the Label.
These retailers provide clothing to the show, which are then styled by students selected by the board.
Model walks the runway during a fashion show on March 31, 2025, showcasing professional, modern ensemble. The event featured innovative designers, competing for a chance to collaborate with Goodwill in USC's Fashion Board's next show.
One stylist, first-year sports management student Riley Egan, said she pulls inspiration from her own style to interpret the theme.
“I interpret it (Cyber Couture) as very edgy like, studs, spikes, everything, very neutral colors, darker colors, even black gray," Egan said. “I'm very grungy style myself, and I use that to kind of tap in and create my own interpretation and look for the cyber fashion.”
Egan said creating outfits and carrying out a vision is something that comes naturally to her.
"When I see a certain piece of clothing, I'm able to envision what I want it to look like in my brain,” Egan said. “So seeing these people, I was like, 'This would look absolutely perfect on you. You have to wear this, because you have longer legs, or (you) have a certain hair.'”
The experience has allowed Egan to connect with, get involved with and meet new people in Fashion Board, she said.
"When I got the email back that I was picked, I was so excited," Egan said. "I was so ready. I already made a Pinterest board and everything. I also don't get to meet people really much out of my circle, but it was nice to meet new people that I've never even seen before on campus and be able to connect with them. "
Director of Community outreach and third-year fashion merchandising student Caroline Kelly said her favorite part of the show is watching all the hard work pay off and seeing everyone have a good time.
"We've been recently having a lot of our model fittings, where they have the retailers and designers pick out their outfits and what they're going to be wearing, and it gets really exciting," Kelly said. "And my other favorite part is definitely just getting to watch everybody have fun doing it."
The show will take place on April 2 at 7 p.m. on 701 Whaley St., marking the 18th annual spring fashion show put on by USC Fashion board as part of fashion week. Tickets are $9.75 for general admission.