Designers and models incorporated elements of clothing, accessories and style from 1796-1878 at the event hosted by Staybridge Suites in Corning.
Fashion and history collided Saturday in Corning at the Past Meets Present Fashion Showcase.
Clothing designers took everyday clothes, sometimes using bedspreads, and creatively framed them into a perfect historical presentation at the Past Meets Present Fashion Showcase hosted by Staybridge Suites.
“It was amazing,” said Charlette J. Smith, Director of Corning Painted Post Historical Society Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes.
Smith said the event was a unique show in that the historical society partnered with “Runway for a Cause,” which organizes charity fashion shows. The proceeds from the event will go towards supporting educational programs, open to all ages.
While Runway for a Cause has put on other fashion shows, it never hosted a show quite like Saturday’s event.
At the Past Meets Present Fashion Showcase, designers had to incorporate design elements of clothing, accessories, or styles from the 1796-1878 time period.
The Show was interactive and historical, showcasing and merging the past and the present trends and designs from emerging and established designers in the Southern Tier community.
Smith said there were six designers of various skill levels and 16 models ranging from ages 10 and up. About 80 people attended the event.
“It was our first time partnering with Runway for a Cause and it was a wonderful success,” Smith said. “The showcase featured diversity and inclusion. We want to do something similar in the future.”
The event was also the first runway show held outdoors at the Staybridge Suites Corning, which was on the wish list of Runway for a Cause. The local nonprofit organization based in the Southern Tier provides an outlet for creative artists to showcase their talents in a fashion show.
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The next big event on the calendar for the Corning Painted Post Historical Society is “Corning at Bat: A journey through our baseball history” featuring an opening ceremony and exhibit at 59 W. Pulteney St. Thursday, June 27.