When Marist College students heard their spring semester was cut short, due to the spread of the pandemic, they were faced with a great challenge – to transform their annual “Silver Needle Runway” fashion show to a virtual platform.
“Awaken,” a new documentary directed and edited by Marist student Steven Ciravolo, explores this emotional journey and undertaking. Above all, it showcases the students’ ability never to lose sight of hope and the love of their craft in an age of anxiety.
“In the midst of fear and uncertainty, there are two things we can rely on,” the Silver Needles Runway team said in a statement, “two things that will always be there for us to give us comfort. Those things are community and creativity. This virtual show was built on those two things. This time is dark and scary and challenging. But we see it as an awakening – an opportunity to shift our view of ourselves, of others, of the world. So we encourage you to take this time and use it to explore your world, evoke your senses, expand your mind and awaken your perspective.”
The Fashion Show Production course at Poughkeepsie-based Marist is open to all fashion majors and minors. The 35-person course, which explores all aspects of producing a large runway show from concept to completion, is split into three teams – Production, Communications and Creative. This year it was led by six senior directors — Ashley Camuso, Claire Debenedittis, Alexa Cerza, Tatum Flood, Alexis Broadnax and Callahan Rasnake
The full documentary is available on YouTube and you can see it here.
– Georgette Gouveia
