Behind the Scenes at Art2Wear

Art2Wear is fast approaching with student designers furiously working day and night transforming everyday objects and traditional fabrics to extraordinary works of art. Seventeen designers will be featured in this year’s show on Tuesday, April 24, at Reynolds Coliseum. The show begins at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.

A special photo exhibition will be presented in the Allred Gallery in Kamphoefner Hall, giving viewers a sneak peek of what’s to come leading up to the show. The exhibit will open this Friday, April 20, and run until April 27.

Real-World Experience

Art2Wear is an opportunity for young designers to gain real-world experience that challenges them to imagine, create and inspire wearable art. The highly anticipated fashion show fuses talent from both the College of Design and College of Textiles, exposing student designers to the broader field of fashion. Art2Wear was started in 2002 by Associate Professor of Art + Design Vita Plume, who will be retiring after this academic year. It attracts more than 4,000 attendees.

There will also be events following the show, including after-parties at several Hillsborough Street venues as a part of Hillsborough Street’s Live It Up campaign. The after-parties will be open to the public and people will get a chance to meet the designers and get a close-up view of some of the clothes featured in the show.

Sponsors for this year’s Art2Wear show include the Gregg Museum of Art and Design, Cotton Inc., Hillsborough Street, Raleigh Denim, MAC Cosmetics, Redken, Paul Mitchell Salon, Alter Ego and Atomic Salon, among others.

Design Showcase

If fans are interested in purchasing merchandise there will be a Design Showcase during the event featuring products and apparel for sale. Art2Wear apparel will also be available for purchase prior to the show at a special bundle rate of $17 for a T-shirt and bag on April 20 and April 23 from noon to 2 p.m. near Brooks Hall. Prices will go up during the day of the show so purchase early to get the discounted rate.

General admission to the upstairs seating at Reynolds Coliseum for the Art2Wear show:

• NC State community: free with NC State ID
• General public: $5 suggested donation

Tickets for floor and bleacher seating are available for purchase at $25 and $15 levels. Additional information including online ticket purchasing options can be found at http://www.ncsuart2wear.com.