North Carolina Central University’s
17th Annual Fashion Inc Competition
Project Runway: Eagle’s Edition
Story by: Renisha Battle
2014, marks the 17th annual Fashion Inc Competition for North Carolina Central University’s (Durham,
NC) Textile and Apparel department. Undergraduates are afforded the opportunity to present pieces for
different challenges to a panel of judges reminiscent of TV show Project Runway, but with a spin. On
April 8th students will showcase what they have learned throughout the year and go head to head for top
spots in various categories at the McDougald Gymnasium. Pushing their creativity so they can be remembered like the fashion icon, Andre Talley, the previous editor and chief of Vogue Magazine, a graduate of North Carolina Central University Family and Consumer Science Department.
Inquiring minds want to know what Fashion Inc or Textile and Apparel is?
Fashion Inc is a pre-professional student organization in the field of Textiles and Apparel area. Every
year the organization sponsors a design competition fashion show that helps build leadership skills. The
Fashion Inc members plan and implement this event where upper level students create a collection of
garments that are presented to the public after the garments have been judged by industry professionals to
determine the winners.
Textile and Apparel is a concentrating major that falls under the Family and Consumer Science department. This major is for students who aspire to achieve a career in fashion design, retail buying, patternmaking, fashion illustration, merchandising, retail management, product development, etc. The department is overseen by Advisor Wadeeah Beyah and Department Chair Darlene Ederhardt-Burke.
The Fashion Inc Project Runway: Eagle Edition competition is one month away. Students are faced with
the stress and pressure to perform above fellow counterparts. It is at this point that time is winding down,
fabric is in one hand, sewing needles are in the other, and a sewing machine sits on the table in front of
you. Will the judges and viewers be in awe or will they shake their heads in dismay? We will just have
to see Tuesday April 8, 2014 at the McDougald Gymnasium on the campus of North Carolina Central
University. Dinner starts at 6:00 pm for those who pay for dinner tickets and the show starts promptly at
7:00 pm. Ticket information is available at the NCCU online ticket office.
To the students participating in this competition, who have sleepless nights just to complete this goal,
who walk around with thread stuck to their clothing, who have sewing scissors in their purses and pockets, and bags of fabric and sewing notions that could be a mountain. I leave you the words of Tim Gunn
“Good Luck”!
About the Author:
R
enisha is a graduate of North Carolina Central
University, where she majored in Consumer
Science concentrating in Apparel and Textile and
2012 Master’s of Business Administration from
the University of Phoenix recipient. Renisha is
the owner of Walk.Fashion, a network of fashion
designers that produces fashion shows for causes
like HIV research and domestic violence in the
Raleigh/Durham, NC area. She also owns her own
business of swim wear that she designs herself. Renisha’s purpose
is to help others reach their dreams and is honored to use this
platform to bring her passion to you. “To achieve great things, we
first have to dream.”- Coco Chanel.
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