The 35th Annual Silver Needle Runway will be held on Saturday, May 22 with a focus on starting a conversation surrounding skewed perspectives. 

Marist Fashion will be holding the 35th annual Silver Needle Runway (SNR) on Saturday, May 22, 2021, with a virtual and in-person dual presentation. While COVID-19 forced the students to adapt last year's edition of the Silver Needle Runway into an exclusively virtual format, this year they are planning to present the work of Marist Fashion’s designers in a dual setting.

A livestream of the show will take place at 4:30 p.m., with a virtual, pre-recorded show premiering on the SNR YouTube channel the same day and a digital lookbook of the designers’ looks on the official SNR website the same day.

Erica Capobianco ‘21, Communications Director for SNR notes the difficulty of producing a show during COVID-19 and campus pauses. “None of us would have ever anticipated that the college would be forced into a campus pause for weeks on end, which definitely affected not only our schedule but also the senior designers’ deadlines. It certainly had its challenges, as the Fashion Show Production class is such a collaborative effort, so being physically separated certainly impacted that energy,” Capobianco said.

However, Capobianco admires the efforts undertaken by everyone involved to ensure this year's show is presented in person. “It’s really to the credit of this group of directors and students of the Fashion Show Production class that this in-person show is happening! We were all so devastated by the cancellation of last year’s show, due to COVID-19, so we are all especially excited to get back on the runway,” Capobianco said.

This year's show, called Illusion, aims to spark conversation “surrounding skewed perspectives and notions that society projects onto us.”

Faculty Director, Juan-Manuel Olivera-Silvera, Professional Lecturer of Fashion Design & Merchandising, noted the ability for students to think creatively and develop a unique way to present this year's show. “This year more than any other the FSP students had to find ingenious ways to create a unique vision for their work while implementing new means of fashion content presentation, all while promoting their values,” Olivera-Silvera said.

Despite all the challenges faced by external forces such as COVID-19, Olivera-Silvera is proud of the work done by the students and foresees a bright future for all involved. “They have demonstrated that they are ready to be the future leaders of their fields. I couldn't be prouder of their accomplishment,” Olivera-Silvera said.

Each year, SNR produces this event for over 2,500 guests, with industry professionals and media commonly in attendance. Eighteen seniors will be showcasing their designer collections at the live event that will take place at Longview Park, along the Hudson River.

To see more about SNR and watch live on May 22 at 4:30 p.m. click here.

About Silver Needle Runway
Since 1986, the Silver Needle Runway (SNR) has been produced annually by Marist College’s globally renowned fashion program. The Silver Needle Runway fosters a positive and encouraging community that challenges its peers in a professional setting while uplifting the next generation of leaders in fashion and beyond. This year, SNR is re-introducing its brand as one that extends beyond the traditional associations of the fashion industry, as it continues to establish itself as a ‘laboratory of innovation’ across all creative fields. Throughout all of our platforms, SNR aims to create a digital community that champions creativity and innovation, diversity, leadership, and social responsibility.

About Marist Fashion
Fun. Fast-paced. Challenging. Competitive. The Marist Fashion Program was recently named one of the Top 50 Global Fashion Schools by Business of Fashion. Whether it's business-building behind the scenes or designing for the showroom or runway, fashion today is a diverse and exciting industry. The Fashion Program at Marist College successfully prepares its students to enter the world of fashion and pursue careers in design, merchandising, product development, retailing, operations, fashion promotion, event planning, and a gamut of other employment opportunities. Students gain the skills, knowledge, and internship experiences within an encouraging academic environment to help them flourish in the fashion industry. www.marist.edu/fashion

About Marist
Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts. Its mission is to “help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.” Marist is consistently recognized for excellence by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 381 Colleges), U.S. News & World Report (9th Best Regional University/North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (“Best College Values”), and others. Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,400 adult and graduate students in 47 undergraduate majors and 15 graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees. www.marist.edu