Written by:Mirella Barrera-Betancourt
On the evening of Nov. 17, the Stitch Closet held their second annual talent and fashion show.
Though the Stitch Closet has been operating on the Western campus since 2020, they have not strayed from their foundational roots. Created to provide relief to the many college students lacking essential clothing needed to succeed in the academic and professional workplace, the organization’s mission is to provide quality clothing to students who may otherwise lack access to this basic need.
This year’s fashion show, which doubled as a fundraiser, consisted of four segments: formal attire, casual attire, business attire and the recently added Disney inspired segment.
Because the Stitch Closet runs primarily off of the volunteerism of students, the fashion show was made possible through the support of both former and current students. Before the show, students interested in volunteering were encouraged to apply for the opportunity to be a talent presenter or a model for the fashion show.
In total, there were 12 volunteer student and alumni participants in the show — a major advancement from their first fashion show.
The Stitch Closet is integrated alongside Western’s diverse number of basic needs services, including Abby’s House and the Food Pantry. Consequently, this year’s Stitch Closet event saw numerous new faces, most significantly in their talent show line-up.
Dressed in vibrant Mexican skirts — a fashion statement in itself — sophomore student Brenda Martinez was one of the talented performers at the event with a traditional performance of ballet folklórico.
Although Western alumni Liam Vance could not be physically present for the talent show, Vance shared a splendid guitar solo performance with the audience through a remote recording.
Abby’s House Director Kristen Perry was also present at the event. While Perry was not a talent presenter, she did evoke laughter in the audience with great jokes, to soothe the awaiting audience.
Much like other various departments at Western, the Stitch Closet prides itself on being student operated and is almost always looking for volunteers and clothing donations. To remain updated, students should follow their Instagram at @stitchcloset.wou.
