The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design’s 25th Annual Fashion Show and the associated gallery exhibit Petit Mode are both happening this week.
Matt Carter
The slow and steady rollout of exhibitions celebrating the work and skill of the many graduating students from the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design is always a highlight of the spring season in Fredericton. From curated exhibits featuring a wide range of graphic design work and meticulously crafted jewelry, to the much anticipated annual display of work by the college’s top flight photography students, the end of the school year brings an outpouring of creativity and inspiration to walls and galleries around the city.
Of the many student showcases taking place each spring, the school’s annual fashion show and display is for many, one of several can’t-miss events on the calendar. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this annual tradition, the NBCCD students and staff have put together a unique exhibit featuring half-scale pieces inspired in part by the Théâtre de la Mode (Theatre of Fashion) exhibit which toured Europe and the United States in the immediate years following the end of World War II. The exhibit, Petit Mode, features the work of 18 designers who were encouraged to create without boundaries or restrictions of any kind.
The title Petit Mode means small fashion and is our way of honoring the Theatre De La Mode. All the fashion pieces will be in half-scale, which will help viewers focus on the designs and craftsmanship of the pieces. By having the pieces miniature, we have removed social concerns, and allowed the designers to create something truly meant for artistic purpose.
“Fashion encompasses much more than most people realize; it’s not all runway shows and glamour, it’s everyday choices, careful decisions that impact everyday life. For many, it’s personal expression that you showcase to everyone, even those you never speak a word to,” said NBCCD Fashion Design Studio Head Tracy Austin.
“This exhibition will help viewers focus on the designs and craftsmanship of the pieces. By having the pieces miniature, we have removed social concerns, and allowed the designers to create something truly meant for artistic purpose.”
Petit Mode Curator: Tracy Austin. Exhibiting Designers: Tracy Austin, Michaela Bowmaster, Cat Candow, Echo Chen, Laura Craik, Nicole Daigle, Nicole Gallant, Holly Heartz, Sherry Kinnear, Gillian Martin Matheson, Charolette Martin-Ward, Laura McFarlane, Mel Noel, Bronwen Robbins, Cheryl Ryan-MacDonald, Rebecca Wiegers, Ellen Woolaver, and Oakley Rain Wysote Gray.
The Petit Mode exhibit will open May 4 at 4:30 p.m. at the George Fry Gallery and will run until May 24, 2023.
The 25th annual NBCCD Fashion Show takes place Saturday May 6 at the Fredericton Convention Centre. 7:30 p.m.
