MCCC Fashion Design Students to Present Runway Show in Trenton, 5/4

Mercer County Community College's Fashion Design program invites the community to an inaugural runway show as the college celebrates its first graduating class of fashion students. "Trenton Makes: An MCCC Student Fashion Show Benefit and Awards Ceremony" takes place Saturday, May 4, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Kerney Hall in the James Kerney Building on Mercer's Trenton Campus, 102 North Broad Street.

Five Fashion/Apparel Design students will present multiple garments from their collections, from dresses and jackets to skirts and menswear. Among the models will be fellow students and friends, including some young people from local high schools. Also showcased at the event will be garments the students have designed for MCCC's Fashion Program Coordinator Allegra Ceci, Bursar Lucia Brown-Joseph, Board Trustee Pam Hersh, Trenton Campus Provost Monica Weaver, and President Patricia C. Donohue, all of whom will be wearing their outfits. Original styling, including hair, make-up and accessories, will be carried out by MCCC's Fashion Club students.

Student designers for the event include Shannon Brown of Trenton, Tashanique Purnell of Trenton, Ryan Ramoo of West Windsor, Nylea Rivers of Plainsboro, and Pina Succi of Princeton Junction.

"Our students have created outfits for real people who seek to live, work and have fun in their clothing," Ceci said. "A tremendous amount of work has gone into the designing and making of these garments. I am so proud of this first group of students for their dedication to their craft. I have seen them grow as designers and as people."

Special guests include New Jersey-based fashion designers Ray Brown of Trenton and Tammy Duffy of Hamilton, both of whom are MCCC alumni, and Lori Ann Diaz, regional manager for Gap, Inc. The three industry professionals will offer their critiques of the students' lines at the conclusion of the show. Diaz will be awarding scholarships to students as part of the Gap Inc. for Community Colleges initiative.

MCCC President Donohue observes that this show represents the fruition of the college's vision to bring fashion design to Trenton. "Trenton was a creative engine for the design and manufacturing sector," Donohue observed. "We are proud to be introducing a program in the city that connects to its creative roots and is ideally located along the Northeast Corridor. Many of our students will transfer to four-year fashion schools in New York and Philadelphia."

Mercer's Fashion/Apparel Design program was introduced at Mercer in 2011. The Fashion Merchandising program, whose curriculum includes the business side of the industry, was introduced at the college in Fall 2012. The programs are housed in Trenton Hall, which opened last year across the street from the existing Trenton campus. Students study in a state-of-the-art Fashion Design laboratory and art studio, and use a storefront gallery to display their work.

Tickets for this fashion benefit event are $10 and are available at the bursar's offices on both campuses (SC256 at the West Windsor campus and KC211 at the Trenton campus). Tickets will also be available at the door. (Advance ticket purchases are recommended. For more information, call (609) 570-3160.

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