The excitement and energy were palpable.
In the Stanley Lake High School auditorium, music filled the room as cheerleaders entertained the crowd and students packed the seats.
Meanwhile, the real energy pulsed backstage. Student designers and models were furiously making last-minute adjustments, checking accessories and putting the finishing touches on the one-of-a-kind looks. Nearby, the student coordinator called out the order of the runway pairings, making sure each designer and model were ready for the moment that was months in the making.
And then, it was silent.
The cued music began.
One by one, the student designers and models rocked into the auditorium like they were in a New York fashion show, as classmates, teachers and members of the media erupted in cheers and applause.
For the audience, it was an entertaining fashion show. For the students, it represented months of creativity, collaboration and problem-solving, with multiple lessons learned along the way that reached beyond fashion.
Last spring, students in Standley Lake High School's Fashion Design program partnered with Plato's Closet Westminster to showcase that style doesn't have to come from brand-new clothing. Led by Fashion Design Educator Danielle McCracken and partnered with Plato's Closet Westminster owner Char Magee, the hands-on project challenged students to create, market and produce a fashion show using only secondhand clothing. After selecting garments from Plato's Closet Westminster, each team was required to reinvent every piece using repurposed materials, tying into the theme of sustainability.
Throughout the school year, students explored personal style, created mood boards, studied color palettes and body shapes, and learned the fundamentals of fashion design. By the time they visited Plato’s Closet Westminster to choose pre‑owned clothing, they were ready to put those skills into action.
Students sketched concepts, developed timelines, chose construction techniques and transformed ordinary garments into original runway designs. Every step, from garment construction to marketing and event production, required creativity, collaboration and problem-solving while proving that great design comes from imagination.
The finished looks reflected each student's personality, creativity and resourcefulness.
One group combined three dresses into a single design. Another group turned a pair of flared jeans upside down, repositioning the pockets to create a dramatic wide-leg silhouette. A third shortened a sequined top, then reused the leftover sequins to embellish a pair of kitten heels.
"The dress was amazing, and the jeans surprised the heck out of me," Danielle said with a laugh.
While the reimagining of the clothing was one part of the project, another part was to show the students how reusing and reimagining garments can shape both style and impact. That shift in perspective connects directly to the role thrifting has long played for teens: a way to express individuality while discovering the deeper value behind their choices.
“Thrifting probably came before the consciousness of the environmental benefits of it," Char said. "Thrifting has always been a way for teens to express their unique styles. Being a teen is a time of discovery and development, and clothing is an important part of that."
She believes social media has helped today's students connect those fashion choices with a larger purpose. "Once they realize that their actions actually have consequences, this age group in particular is very inspired to do better," she said.
Danielle has watched that shift happen firsthand. Rather than settling for what's on store shelves, many students want clothing that reflects their individuality. "The students aren’t finding the fashions that they want on the market," she said. Instead, they'll thrift a pair of jeans, spend a few hours modifying them, and end up with something completely their own. "They can thrift it for cheaper and end up with exactly what they want rather than settling for something that isn’t really what they want."
That shift in thinking gives Char hope that evolution represents more than a passing trend. "I feel like the younger generation are role models in our society right now," she said. "They're seeing the issues, and they're able to do something about it."
Rather than asking students to solve enormous environmental challenges overnight, Magee hopes they recognize the value of everyday decisions.
While the environmental challenges facing the apparel industry are enormous, Char hopes they recognize the value of daily decisions.
"When something feels overwhelmingly big, you have to dial it back to what smaller daily choices can make a difference. That's what I'm seeing with today's thrifting trends," she said. Choosing a used item, repurposing something already in the closet or simply buying less are all steps in the right direction. "You're making small choices, and all of those add up. So the key is not to get overwhelmed by the giant problem."
She smiled before adding perhaps the project's simplest takeaway.
"At the end of the day, fashion should be fun. This generation is leading the charge while enjoying a really fun process of creation."
While the project's message centered on sustainability, its success was equally about collaboration and preparing students for life beyond high school.
The project became what Danielle called "the perfect bridge" between classroom skills and real-world experience. That bridge formed when Char approached her with an idea: connect students’ learning to a local business while giving them an authentic look at the fashion industry. Together, they shaped a partnership that pushed students to think like professionals and explore the possibilities of sustainable fashion.
Danielle immediately saw the educational value. "This is exactly what higher education is striving to do across the nation," she said. "They want students to have experiential learning opportunities where they're applying what they've learned in the classroom."
Students stepped into roles that mirrored those found throughout the fashion industry. Designers created garments, while models brought those designs to life. Other students handled marketing, photography, event planning and production management, gaining firsthand experience with the many moving parts of a fashion show.
For Char, that real-world experience was one of the project's greatest successes.
“I wanted them to see what it’s like to work with a small business and understand that the skills they’re learning have value outside the classroom,” she said. “If we can make an impact in our community while giving students that experience, that’s a win for everyone.”
As the applause faded and the final models left the runway, the impact of the project was already extending beyond the students who participated. Danielle overheard comments from previous students asking, "Why didn't we get to do that last year?" Meanwhile, other students left inspired, saying, "I'm going to take fashion because that was so cool."
Those comments were proof that a project centered on creativity, collaboration and sustainability had inspired other students to see fashion, and perhaps the choices they make every day, in a new way.
Student Perspectives: Creativity, Confidence and Purpose
Best friends outside the classroom, designer Bodor Yunes and model Donnie Dunn collaborated on an outfit inspired by Balenciaga and Vivienne Westwood. The resulting look fused punk and high fashion: a black RIT‑dyed polo reworked with plaid skull‑and‑crossbones appliqués, flannel cuff accents and white hand embroidery, paired with reconstructed jeans featuring a pleated replacement leg and a sagged, Balenciaga‑style waistband and finished with Donnie’s Doc Martens.
Bodor was excited about using thrifted clothing, which made her vision cooler and let her use the material to its fullest potential.
"Using thrifted clothing is not only sustainable but makes clothes look so much more unique," Bodor said. Having always enjoyed making and altering clothing, the project only strengthened that passion. "This gives me more motivation to do and create more."
The creative process wasn't always easy. Bodor spent hours reworking garments, adapting ideas as the project evolved and even breaking multiple sewing machine needles while stitching together layers of denim. But seeing the finished design on the runway made every challenge worthwhile.
"It has truly given me the boost I need to use my creative skills more in clothing and in the way I express myself through fashion," Bodor said.
For model Donnie, the experience meant stepping well outside his comfort zone.
"It was really nerve-wracking stepping out into my entire school and seeing the sea of faces," he said. "The message behind why we were doing what we did was much more important than my nerves, though."
Donnie, whose wardrobe already includes mostly thrifted clothing, said the project reinforced the idea that fashion is about personal expression rather than buying something new.
"Seeing my classmates string together ideas to create outfits was personally so inspiring," he said. "Maybe our work here could inspire many others to go toward thrifted clothing and to stray away from fast fashion."
Bodor hopes people took away multiple messages, including that everyone should care for the environment and planet because it is everything around us. She urges others to make their own clothing and have an outlet to express themselves through the creative art that is fashion.
Both students walked away with more than new sewing and design skills. They left with a deeper appreciation for creativity, confidence and the idea that clothing can tell a story. As Bodor put it, "Fashion means expression... a language of the people."
Side Bar Title: More Than A Fashion Show
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Behind every look that made its way down the runway was much more than fabric, thread and creativity.
The Stanley Lake High School fashion show gave students the opportunity to experience many of the roles that bring the fashion industry to life. While designers transformed thrifted clothing into original pieces and models prepared to showcase them, other students stepped behind the scenes to tackle marketing, photography, event planning and production management.
For Fashion Design Educator Danielle McCracken, that real-world experience was an important part of the project.
“This is exactly what higher education is striving to do across the nation,” she said. “They want students to have experiential learning opportunities where they’re applying what they’ve learned in the classroom.”
Through their partnership with Plato’s Closet Westminster, students learned how creativity, collaboration and problem-solving come together outside the classroom.
The result wasn’t simply a successful runway show. It was an opportunity for students to build confidence, explore potential careers and discover just how far their creativity could take them.
"Using thrifted clothing is sustainable and unique." — Bodor Yunes