Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: SUZANNE CARROLL
Fanshawe fashion merchandising and marketing students prepare to dazzle the crowd with their Galactic-themed fashion show on Nov. 17. The show is in partnership with Goodwill Industries and My Sister's Place.

Students in Fanshawe’s fashion merchandising and marketing program are set to bring you to the future with their upcoming Galactic Gala fashion show on Nov. 17.

The show, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary, is a “visionary trip into the future of fashion, and an out-of-this-world experience,” according to a press release.

The show is in partnership with Goodwill Industries, and My Sister’s Place, a program run through the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Middlesex location.

My Sister’s Place is a safe haven for women to help them get back on their feet after experiencing such things as addiction, mental health problems and homelessness.

According to Wendy Sperry, an instructor of the fashion merchandising and marketing program, the main focus of the partnership with My Sister’s Place is through the shelter’s Micro Enterprise program.

“It’s a program where women learn employment skills, they make jewelry from donated jewelry and deconstruct, reconstruct the jewelry and 80 per cent of whatever they make by selling, they get to keep themselves and 20 per cent goes back into the program,” she said.

Sperry said that unlike previous years where faculty chose the theme for the show throughout the summer, this year students were involved. Beginning last semester, students, along with Sperry, helped develop the theme, even before the show was conceived.

Sperry is “pretty excited” for this ‘out of this world experience’ show, where the clothing is donated by Goodwill and revamped by first year students in the program. Second year students produce the show, as part of their curriculum.

Goodwill also provides the space for the show itself.

The partnership between Goodwill, My Sister’s Place and Fanshawe is one of a kind.

“I think each one of the partnerships really feed into each other nicely or dovetail into each other nicely. Fanshawe fashion merchandising and marketing is about merchandising in fashion, Sperry said. “[But] I think this is an excellent opportunity for [students] to see people who are less fortunate, especially women, and being able to help them get back on their feet. Goodwill is really all about reemployment and so it all kind of dovetails together nicely.”

Sperry said each year there are two shows, one in the afternoon, which is the friends and family show, which acts as address rehearsal, and then the actual gala that evening.

Sperry said this year they are pushing to sell as many tickets as they can for the first show, since it’s not something they normally focus on.

“We’re really excited about it. One of the things we’d like to push is that afternoon show because that’s really kind of our fundraiser to cover the costs of the show that we incur, so that we can give more to the charity. We have not, in the past, really tried to sell out the show, but this year we thought ‘okay, let’s try and make that our fundraiser’,” Sperry said.

Michelle Quintyn, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes, said she is also really excited for this year’s event.

“It’s a fantastic event and a fantastic transformation [of] our space and the clothing that the designers revamp and it’s just a great partnership because of the college and Goodwill coming together to raise money for My Sister’s Place.”

Quintyn, who also sits on Fanshawe’s board of governors, said there has previously been a lot of connection and partnership between Goodwill and the college, but it has really changed over the years.

“We’ve got lots of connection and it’s just nice to see this collaboration. It raises the profile of Goodwill with the students the attendees [of the gala] and the community,” Quintyn said.

Quintyn said she is also looking forward to the show, with this year’s theme being quite funky. She said themes are real highlights with the program, but so is the collaboration between Goodwill, the college and My Sister’s Place.

“The chance to collaborate to give back and to raise money for My Sister’s Place, put a spotlight on both Fanshawe and Goodwill and probably the biggest one really is to demonstrate all the possibilities of student learning and collaborating with and organization like Goodwill and raising money all at the same time.”

Galactic Gala will take place at the Goodwill at 255 Horton Street at 2 p.m. for the dress rehearsal and 7 p.m. for the actual gala. A live and silent auction, hor d’oeuvres cash bar and photo booth will be present.

Attendees to the actual gala are asked to dress formally and be prepared for a night of constellations and glitter.

Tickets are available at Biz Booth and Live Chic for $10 for the rehearsal show and $50 for the gala.