MAY 20—The school community gathered at the new Peters Auditorium courtyard for Beverly’s annual fashion show that celebrated the creativity and hard work of student designers. The atmosphere was already alive as family, friends, teachers and classmates all came together in anticipation of a great show.
At precisely 6:30 PM, the show opened with a performance from members of the Dance Company, who warmed up the crowd. Shortly after, senior Maor Baradarian took the stage as the MC for the fashion show, guiding the audience through the show’s different concepts.
The overall theme for this year’s show was Day Dusk Dawn. It told the story of a Beverly Hills “it girl” who went to several parties in a day, reflected in the different styles and concepts the models shifted through during the show.
There were three distinct concepts introduced by Baradarian throughout the show: Garden Party, Black Tie and Ibiza Night.
Garden Party was first, with models wearing soft colors. Black Tie was next, as the colors became more muted and the designs more chic.
Sophomore Trisha Bhasin, who is an advanced fashion student, had two pieces in this section of the show.
“I loved Black Tie the most because I personally like darker colors and more elegant outfits. It stood out because it represented my taste in clothes,” Bhasin said. “One of my pieces in black tie was a formal dress, and to brainstorm, I looked at several designs on Pinterest.”
Finally, the show reached its sparkliest point: Ibiza Night. Many of the models strutted down in colorful party dresses.
“It was definitely very fun to design for Ibiza Night. You could tell by the piece itself that the whole story is of this party girl who just wants to shine, which is reflected in the many different colors shown, like blue and pink,” said sophomore Audriana Levian. Levian is also an advanced student in fashion.
However, her favorite outfit she made for this year’s fashion show was a pink bow dress that appeared earlier during the garden party segment, drawing loud cheers when the model removed the dress’s skirt at the end of the runway, revealing a shorter dress underneath.
“All of my inspiration for this year’s collection came from breast cancer survivors. I really wanted that show-stopping moment where she feels empowered but also feminine like a princess. Then, she shows her warrior side, takes off the skirt and then struts off confidently,” Levian shared.
This was only one of the many showstopping moments and outfits the audience experienced throughout the one-and-a-half-hour show. As the show neared its end, all the models walked the runway for one last time with the designers. In fact, it was this very moment that was sophomore Yalee Erel’s favorite moment of the show.
“I got to lead the last walk of the show in Trisha’s beautiful black dress. I felt the power of all the models and designers behind me, the cheering. That was really my favorite moment,” Erel reflected. She modeled for four designers and appeared on the runway multiple times throughout the night.
When asked if she would model again for next year’s show, the answer was a definite yes. In fact, her experience with modeling for this year’s show has encouraged her to pursue the fashion pathway at BHHS.
“There is something about the power of clothes that you really feel as a model. I want to give somebody else that feeling you get when you learn that something beautiful was made for you, something that you can feel pretty in,” Erel noted.
However, she also added that “I made my decision because of Ms. Sahar, who is probably one of the best teachers in our school. I love her so much.”
Throughout the short interview segments with the designers conducted by KBEV, it was clear that it was not just Erel who felt this sentiment.
“Ms. Sahar is amazing. I cannot emphasize that enough,” Levian gushed. “She is the most supportive and always makes sure that everyone’s individual needs are addressed. I love her!”
Ms. Sahar Hersel is the fashion teacher at Beverly, and this was her first full year teaching at the school.
In an interview with KBEV, Hersel talked about her students, particularly those in her introduction classes.
“My favorite part of teaching is definitely working with my students and seeing them gain confidence in their skills,” Hersel said. “I think they feel a really big sense of accomplishment and pride of ownership.”
That sense of accomplishment was undeniable as the applause rang throughout the theater. With the success of the Day Dusk Dawn showcase, Hersel’s first full year has laid a vibrant foundation for the fashion department. The hard work and passion of both Hersel and her students have built something truly special, leaving everyone eager to see what they accomplish next.
Check out this link to view the taped fashion show.
