Fashioning Futures: LPS students learn about textiles at Omaha Fashion Week show

March 3, 2025

Lincoln Public Schools students designed a world-class winter educational experience by looking at skillfully-made dresses, coats, jackets and hats.
 
Students from seven LPS high schools traveled to the Omaha Design Center for the Omaha Fashion Week Student Night Designer Showcase. The fashion show featured numerous works by members of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s textiles, merchandising and fashion design program. Area high schoolers, 4-H students and local designers also unveiled their fabric-based creations to the crowd.
 
North Star student Nyapouke said the fashion show gave her extra inspiration for her future. Nyapouke has taken the Introduction to Fashion and Interior Design and Clothing, Textiles and Design courses with family and consumer sciences (FCS) teacher Lily Hershey. She also attended last year’s designer showcase with her classmates, which made her even more excited about her second trip in 2025.
 
“I loved every part about the fashion show,” Nyapouke said. “I liked the different clothing that was made and I loved watching the models walking down the runway. I really just loved everything about it.”
 
Fellow North Star students Ailyn and Jo also said they were interested in fashion and interior design careers. Ailyn said her artistic interest in drawing has led to many sketches of dresses and outfits. She has been “obsessed with big poofy dresses” and has completed the Introduction to Fashion and Interior Design class.
 
“I think this fashion show would be really helpful to figure out what I really want to do in the near future,” Ailyn said. “It’s always been an interest of mine and I would like to see it play out.”
 
Jo said she wants to create a wide range of clothing sizes. She felt it was important to ensure people of all body types can find clothes that allow them to express their personalities. She said it was a dream come true to watch the show.
 
“It was a very special and amazing moment for me to see all of the models walk down the runway and imagine that one day I might get to do the same,” Jo said. “It gave me a lot of inspiration for looks I want to design on my own, and it gave me an idea of how to make the design flexible to walk and move in, and how to make it comfortable for the person wearing it.”
 
More than three dozen students began their trip with a meal in Omaha’s Aksarben Village. They then arrived at the Omaha Design Center for the event. The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools sponsored the cost of each ticket and pre-show meal for LPS attendees.

 
Hershey and fellow FCS teachers Stacy Richmond (Lincoln High), Madelyn Kreifels (East), Julie Davisson (Northeast), Rachel Hruza (Northwest), Liz Griffith (Southwest) and Nicki Pedeliski (Southeast) attended the event with students. Hershey said everyone returned to Lincoln filled with excitement and joy from the experience.
 
“They all had a blast,” Hershey said. “We had really good seats this year, so we could see more of the designs as they went down the runway.”
 
Everyone who attended the show picked up previous design knowledge in their FCS courses. The Introduction to Fashion and Interior Design class explores the definition, application and evaluation of elements and principles of design in the interior and fashion industries. Students also learn about technology in those careers.
 
The Clothing, Textiles and Design course helps students become familiar with clothing construction, textiles products and the clothing design industry. It also highlights trends in the fashion industry, emerging technologies and sewing techniques and equipment.
 
At North Star, students spent one class period prior to the show learning about symmetrical and asymmetrical designs. They reviewed several contemporary clothing outfits to see if both sides were identical or if there were differences. Some of the dresses, shirts and jeans had disparities in their length, patterns and colors.
 
Hershey brought up one example of a new style that features one-legged jeans. One side of the jeans is made of traditional-length denim that runs to the ankles, while the other leg has a length that makes it look like jean shorts. Hershey explained to the class that this was an asymmetrical design.
 
Everyone then drew their own designs on pieces of paper. They used pencils, pens and markers to create both symmetrical and asymmetrical clothes. Their ideas ranged from a tan evening gown to an outfit of a red shirt, black overalls and blue jeans.
 
Many Navigators spent time last semester exploring historical design trends from the past few centuries. They produced illustrations that showed everything from 1860s flower-themed ball gowns to hip-hop designs of the 1990s. The activity gave them ideas for how future clothing styles might develop and if certain trends have re-emerged over time.
 
Hershey has had previous Clothing, Textiles and Design classes produce their clothing concepts on paper during the spring semester. They then turn one of those designs into an outfit for a Barbie, which lets them envision how the process works for a fashion show. The project also helps them understand how professional designers use math, science and art to make items that they wear at school every day.
 
Nyapouke said her two field trips to Omaha had given her a valuable jumpstart on her fashion-based future.
 
“This will help in the future when I start my career,” Nyapouke said. “The fashion show helped me personally because it opened my eyes to these different fashion trends and how I can grow from them.”
 
Visit home.lps.org/cte/fcs to learn more about how family and consumer sciences classes are helping LPS students gain lifelong skills.
 
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