Highland Park High School thrives on student self-expression, and the school offers many opportunities in terms of clubs for people to explore their personal interests; one among these clubs is the Fashion Club. Fashion Club’s main goal is to dive deep into how fashion trends evolve, and to create community through self-expression. They meet biweekly in room B401, where they discuss fashion decisions from bag choice to their own personal style influences day-to-day.
Founder and president of Fashion Club Gwyneth Wilner has her sights set high. In addition to organizing meetings and activities, Wilner’s primary purpose in running Fashion Club is “collaborating with the board to foster community, inclusivity, and creativity.” She ensures that her members have a space to expand their passion for fashion, in a safe, positive, environment.
The club fosters the members’ own design creativity through an all-inclusive environment and opportunities to showcase their personal design ideas. Though the members all share a love of fashion, what keeps members especially attached to the club is the confidence in their identity they secure through the club. By bonding with others who share the same passions as them, Fashion Club serves as an outlet that makes members’ voices heard.
Social media manager of Fashion Club Emery Duenow emphasizes the importance of a fashion club in schools.
“[I] really [want] people to know that this club isn’t just [about] sitting around analyzing styles,” Duenow said. “[We] strive to create a community of people with our primary goal being to connect fashion enthusiasts with one another and celebrate the artform.”
The Fashion Club fosters community in many ways, but one way they help their community flourish is through their Annual Fashion Show, which Wilner describes as a celebration of their work.
“Every spring, we partner with Arbor Terrace Senior Center to host an intergenerational runway experience.” Wilner explained. “We lead a runway workshop where seniors and students practice side by side, and then showcase designs from a local designer as we walk the red carpet together.”
This cherished tradition combines both vintage and modern fashion styles to create a show for every age. The show serves as many of the members’ favorite parts of the club, combatted only with the club’s analysis of trend evolution and what that reflects in society currently. Fashion is the way generations can come together, relate, and create community through confidence in their identity and themselves. Fashion Club is truly about more than clothing – it’s about unity, creativity, and connection.