by Maggie Ybarra
Daily Lobo
The wild things will roam the catwalk this weekend, clad in screen-printed furs and skin-tight footed pajama bottoms.
Student Anne Ozaksut will debut her talent for creating one-of-a-kind clothing Saturday at Atomic Cantina in a fashion show based on the book "Where the Wild Things Are." The free show begins at 10 p.m.
Ozaksut said the clothes are stretchy so the models can dance, but with fur shawls and creative screen-prints added in to give them a wild appearance.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"This line is going to be really unique," Ozaksut said. "It's going to be really fun. Even though it's monster-themed, it's definitely not Halloween. There's a lot of cute pieces in the show that could definitely be worn just down the street."
The idea for a fashion show based on the "Where the Wild Things Are" came to Ozaksut four years ago,
she said.
"I was taking fashion classes at the school of the Art Institute of Chicago and sketched it down," Ozaksut said. "And then I was unpacking some stuff, found the sketchbook again, decided it was a really good idea and to make it happen."
Ozaksut said she began making clothes to earn extra money. Her items sell at Cutie Pie boutique under the label Mother, Pure White Milk. She said she didn't have much overhead when she began, so she started buying items from local thrift shops, cutting them up, and transforming them into wearable art.
"Everything at the show is one-of-a-kind," Ozaksut said. "I don't know if anyone would want to buy anything off a model, but if they do, they can make an offer."
Those who attend the show can participate by wearing masks and dancing to music mixed by students Wesley Morton, Evan Vincent, Daniel Jimenez and Max
Paschek.
Morton said it was his first time doing a
fashion show.
"The theme of the show is from a book called 'Where the Wild Things Are,' so artistically, we're trying to work within that theme to make music that corresponds with the story in that children's book," he said. "So I guess you can say we anticipate a lot of layers, some funk and, otherwise, a lot of fun."
Morton said the music would be arranged with a back beat for the models to walk to, along with extra elements to hype up the audience.
Student Sylvie Reydams is a volunteer model in the show. She said she enjoyed showcasing Ozaksut's eclectic taste.
"She's making something that's a footed, kind of pajama-looking, high-waist sit pants," Reydams said. "She's putting me in those pajama bottoms and a regular tank-top with a furry shawl. I'm also getting a pencil skirt."
Ozaksut said that since most of her designs are screen-printed with stripes and scales to illustrate texture, she will sell everyday-wear versions of the designs at the show.
"T-shirts, long-sleeve shorts and a couple of hoodies," she said. "The same design that's on the models but on practical, everyday clothes."
Although Ozaksut is pursuing a degree in astrophysics at UNM, she said she might seek a more creative career after she graduates.
"I'm not really sure right now. But I think that I could go back to art school and eventually maybe design clothing or work with textiles in some way," she said. "I definitely like unconventional fiber."
