Kuehnl appreciates the many facets of CREO creativity

CREO showtimes are 1:30, 6 and 8:30 p.m. and tickets range from $30-$45. To come and experience the 50th show, purchase your tickets here and enjoy this year's CREO fashion show: MODEUninhibited.

By Alexandra Kline

During her 16 years at Mount Mary, Trish Kuehnl '86 and '13, has experienced every facet of a Mount Mary fashion show. As a merchandise management student she helped orchestrate the show and today she directs the show as the acting chair of the Fashion Department and the instructor for the Fashion Show Coordination class.

As she and the students put the finishing touches on CREO 2018, the 50th anniversary of student-designed fashion shows, she wants people to see just what hard work the students put into the project, just as she remembers doing.

"As the students in our class have found out, there's a lot to do," Kuehnl said. "Most of them are on at least three committees and it requires a lot of time and a lot of effort."

These committees take hours of hard work, but it's the commitment outside of class time that students really must dedicate themselves to.

"Many of the students put in hours contacting and finding hair and makeup partners, making student interview videos, making the intro videos for the show segments, training the models, running the jury day, making signage, gathering information for the program, recruiting and training ushers and dressers, and so much more," says Kuehnl. "Whew, it's a lot of work."

Kuehnl encourages the community to come and see the difference the show will have being back on campus compared to outside venues. The transformation from a fieldhouse to a runway is just one of the surprises for those attending this year's CREO fashion show.

"I think people are going to be very surprised when they come into the Bloechl Center," Kuehnl said. "They're expecting to come into a basketball court with basketballs and scoreboards and all the lines painted on the floor. But it's going to be very different."

But the real draw, she said, are the student designs that will be showcased. The theme, MODEUninhibited, will display the idea of having freedom within one's designs without restriction.

"We have quite a few that are very innovative and quite creative in their designs. Many of them are creating designs for what would be considered a niche market," she said.

Kuehnl said she enjoys her job, working with students and supporting this level of creativity.

"Teaching this class has been invigorating and exhausting all together, but it is so worth it."

Alexandria Kline is a junior majoring in fashion merchandise management and English/Writing for New Media.