Once a year,  the Student Merchandising and Design Association and The College of Human Environmental Sciences Department of Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design present their annual Fashion for Life show.

Fashion for Life is a runway show where senior apparel design students present their final collections. On Sunday, 14 seniors showed off four years of education that were put into three to five outfits that graced the runway in the Ferguson Student Center Ballroom. 

Fashion for Life deals with more than just fashion. It started as a fundraiser for West Alabama Aids Outreach for the first two years, but now, Brian Taylor, instructor of the class involved with the fashion show, let’s the students nominate and vote on the charity they support each year.

“Someone in the class, is emotionally tied to an organization that means something to them,” said Taylor about watching his students pick a charity, “They nominate it, and then the students sort of gather around and vote for that organization.” 

Taylor also said that the event has “a little more substance” because it supports charities.

“It makes them care a little more, knowing that they are going to be a part of an event that is going to reach more than just the audience,” Taylor said. “From an academic stand point, it’s more than a grade.”

This year, one of the student’s mother is fighting metastatic breast cancer, so the students voted to support Metavivor, which is dedicated to the awareness and research of advanced breast cancer. It was only five dollars to get into the show, and between all the support from the families and friends of designers, models, and professors, event organizers said the show made a huge difference. 

Amber McCarly, a freshman public relations major, and Julie Williams, a junior advertising major, attended the event to support one of their friends who were modeling. 

“I thought it had a very professional environment,” McCarly said.   

Williams also enjoyed the show.

“This was my first time going.” Williams said. “It was really neat to experience, especially since I considered joining this field.”