Wayne State University to Host Fashion Event to Celebrate their Sesquicentennial

Members of the 1961 Wayne State Baseball team in their classic flannels.  The WSU Sesquicentennial fashion event will showcase how pop-culture branding can be used to merchandise a product or service.   Photo courtesy of Wayne State University Athletics

DETROIT– On Wednesday, March 28^that noon, Wayne State University is hosting a special fashion event to help celebrate their 150 anniversary. Part of the official WSU Sesquicentennial series of events scheduled to highlight the occasionwill be a special showcase that will feature fashions through the past 150 years. Included will be significantcostumes and rare artifacts that glimpse and explore a timeline throughout Detroit’s rich fashion history. Form and functionality will be highlighted and some interesting firsts will be stressed.

The multi-media presentation will be moderated by Rayneld Johnson, PhD. Johnson is a seniorWSU faculty member in Fashion Design and Merchandising of the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History in the College of Fine Performing and Communication Arts. Johnson has been on the forefront of how pop-culture inspires automotive design and how lasers and computers will influence future custom fashions. Dr. Johnson has exhibited and lectured nationally and internationally served as a Regional Director of the Fashion Group International, a professional trade association.

An interesting historical anecdote that found its way to Detroit and the campus of Wayne State was the soft-bustle Polonaise dress with underskirt that was all the rage in the 1890’s.

The event will also feature historic costumes and innovative designs by faculty and students. Not to be missed is how the branding of the men’s and women’s athletic teams helped merchandise Wayne State University over the years.

Also included will be a brief rundown of the popular fashions trending today such as “Steampunk” and the “Lolita” movement in young Japanese culture. This is a chance to look ahead to what WSU will be achieving in the next 150 years, and beyond.

The event is at the center of WSU campus, second floor, Student Center Ballroom, near Gullen Mall. Students of every age, alumni, staff, WSU Campus Family and the community are invited to this free event. Co-sponsored by the WSU Office of Marketing and Communications.

https://events.wayne.edu/2018/03/28/wayne-state-insiders-sesquicentennial-fashion-show-76391/