Fashion and Design Society redresses approach for COVID-19

COVID-19 has impacted how classes, social life, and every organization has operated throughout the Syracuse University campus. For the Fashion and Design Society, this year has been anything but normal.

Like other student organizations, FADS had to shift their usual in-person activities to online. In the fall semester, they had a fully pre-recorded show that was projected over Zoom.

Communications director Raffaella Guglielmino said they’ve also added a new accessory.

“Masks have become a part of the fashion show. A lot of the models have masks designed by student designers,” she said.

The virtual shows have opened the opportunity for a bit more creativity Guglielmino said. Rather than the traditional walk down a runway, they’ve used a wide array of different locations to shoot the outfits with different scenery.

“In the Fall it was called Body and Space. So it was about how fashion connects to your environment and the world around you, Guglielmino said. “We were able to shoot on-campus, off-campus, in nature, all different areas.”

Outside of their shows, FADS used the move to the virtual world to connect with Syracuse alumni at a time when many members lost out on opportunities. She reached out to alumni via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to ask them to come talk to their members.

“Myself and the president, Aanya Singh, saw a void where our members needed help,” she said. “A lot of people lost their internships, a lot of people didn’t know what to do.”

This led to the creation of F4, or FADS Fashioning Future Fellows, a program for students that brings in alumni for networking and mentorship opportunities.

“Starting F4 makes us more than just a fashion organization that does fashion shows,” she said. “It’s made us more apparent on campus, it’s made us have more of a variety of students appear.”

Most of all, Guglielmino said their weekly meetings have been over Zoom, but she misses seeing her friends and fellow members in-person.