Put your jelly sandals on: fashion@Brown's sixth annual runway show

Brunonians gathered at Granoff to watch their peers model outfits created by fellow students on April 21 at fashion@Brown's sixth annual runway show. The collections were eclectic, and each "act"--that is, each set of models representing a particular designer--elicited a wide array of emotions from the audience. Here's a rundown of the collections.Sabiya AhamedOutfit Superlative: For most of the other lines we assigned somewhat silly superlatives, while also trying to reflect an important characteristic of the clothing. But for this one we have to say: most beautiful collection. That doesn't mean that the other lines were worse--they all had different strengths--but just that this one used the most genuinely gorgeous fabrics, materials, and patterns, and put them together in a fantastically tasteful way.Kudos to THAT Performance Choice: This line was simpler and less performative than others. It was more traditional in its style of modeling. However, the models deserve a kudos for deciding to show off this set of clothing--most of the fabrics looked like they would be super comfortable to wear. I was jealous.What confused us: Not much.Stylistically we really liked: I said a lot in the outfit superlative, but I'll add a couple of things: blues and blacks were common colors here, and they worked really well together. There was also a beautiful skirt, with one pattern on the outside, that unwrapped to reveal a different pattern on the inside (below). Lunet 2 (Ingrid Zippe)Outfit Superlative: Best way to dress for a trip to the Nelson when you don't actually want to exercise.Kudos to THAT performance choice: We were wowed by what seemed like a modeling super power: the models wore jelly sandals that often had raised heels. The models pulled this seemingly impossible task.What confused us: The first model had a white shirt whose hem was lined with an intriguing shape: red lips, with holes cut into the center so that they looked like partially opened mouths. Not that this wasn't cool--it was the best kind of confusing.Stylistically, we really liked...: The color accents in this line were on point. Bold, smaller parts of the look would match up. In the outfit to the right, you can see that the shoes match the cape. Often, the designer decided to match the lipstick and shoe color. We also loved how the clothes had a sportiness to them. The pictured model shows off an outfit reminiscent of something Super Girl would wear--she's superhero chic, yet nothing is overdone.Bryn KelleyOutfit Superlative: Best way to end up in a "street fashion" photo... or to lounge on the Main Green while pretending to study.Kudos to THAT Performance Choice: Paired together, the enchanting soundtrack and the floral array made the models seem like perfect actors for an indie music video set in a forest.What confused us: How do you come up with pairing a backwards baseball cap and a romper? Florals + sportiness = ?Stylistically, we really liked...: First off, I should say that I'm biased. My closet includes an inappropriate amount of clothes with floral patterns, so I was partial to this designer's style. The first piece, a gold-spattered dress, especially sticks out in my mind. And the choice of putting a baseball cap and a romper together, while unusual, proved that "flower power" really is a thing.  Beast Boutique (Jennifer Avery)Outfit Superlative: Best thing to wear if you want to a) scare your roommates or b) get them to leave you alone and keep them from asking any questions, everKudos to THAT performance choice: The models for this line were more like actors. They really got into the style, adding "beastlike" movements. Granted, sometimes it was a bit uncomfortable--like when one of the models went over and touched an unsuspecting audience member's arm--but their ability to (bravely) assume their roles was true commitment.What confused us: The dolls with the scary faces, which a lot of the models carried around. Given that the music sounded like it came straight out of an indie horror movie, things were a little spooky...but that was the point.Stylistically, we really liked...: This collection had a more obvious theme than any of the others, testing the boundaries of "human" style by combining dolls, animals and people.MASK (Kristen Michaelson, Alexia Stylianou)Outfit Superlative: Best way to show off your swag at a fancy party thrown by one of Brown's Secret Societies (if we even have those).Kudos to THAT Performance Choice: First off, the Chainsmokers' hit "Roses" accompanied these models as they took the runway, which we thought was an apt choice. Second, the first two models sported sleek black dresses, while the last sported a bold, red gown. The color change made that last dress even more striking.What confused us: Not a whole lot.Stylistically, we really liked...: These outfits were "simple yet elegant." If I were ever invited to a super exclusive club, I'd totally wear one of MASK's dresses. The red dress that ended the set was one of the evening's most stand-out pieces: brave and glamorous, it was floor-length and showed off a stiff, wave-shaped neckline.  Wired by Nature (Kimberly Salz)Outfit Superlative: Best makeshift body armor.Kudos to THAT performance choice: Five pieces comprised this collection, and they went from least to most metallic. The first two only had wiry accessories (often bent into floral shapes), the second two included wired shirts (kind of like corsets but less oppressive), and the last (right) included a dress made entirely of wire. An artful way to present the line.What confused us: One question: is that dress comfortable?Stylistically, we really liked...: When someone told me there were going to be clothes made of metal, I was skeptical. But the wire looked almost like an unusually textured lace, and the simple, black cloth that went with it likely helped the designer pull off the unconventional material choice. CLNK (Leadz Dorce, Chimezie Udozorh, Kelechukwu Udozorh)Outfit Superlative: Best way to wow at a black-tie event.Kudos to THAT Performance Choice: The first six outfits were divided up into complementary pairs. The first model wore a red and yellow skirt, and the second sported a shirt made of that same red and yellow material, which made for an aesthetically cohesive performance.What confused us: How can anyone look this cool?Sylistically, we really liked...: CLNK managed to be cutting edge while maintaining wearability. What's more, the last outfit, which featured a black top with a red, white and gold shirt, was absolutely gorgeous.    Sofia KadievaOutfit Superlative: Best outfit to wear while you rule the world.Kudos to THAT Performance Choice: The music during this set was bold, particularly because of the stark contrasts between songs. Once certain models reached the front of the runway, they would face forward for a second while the track transformed. For example, the soundtrack started with an operatic piece which pivoted to Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" during the second model's walk.What confused us: The first model wore a gold, silky, floor-length puffy dress and a feather in her hair. We felt transported back in time, maybe to the Victorian era; at the very least we felt like we were at a masquerade. Not long after we got a taste of the disco-scented 70s. How did we get from there to there so quickly?Stylistically, we were impressed by...: Admittedly, what confused us also impressed us. Kadieva, amazingly, was able to present clothes sewn from a diverse range of influences, yet somehow make the line seem fluid, as if it changed with the decades and with the music.Katharina WindemuthOutfit Superlative: Best choice for when your parents visit the day after you've destroyed yourself at a party, and you need to look put-together but maintain a certain level of comfort (fanciest PJs ever)Kudos to THAT performance choice: This line was relatively simple, so it had fewer crazy or distinct performance choices compared to most of the others--which is not necessarily a bad thing. While straightforward (it was no beast boutique), the clothes were of high quality and the number of outfits (14!) was incredibly impressive. Well done, Windemuth--that must have taken a lot of time.What confused us: Did not really expect to see pinstriped pants...Stylistically, we really liked...: This designer masterfully combined two qualities into her clothing: the pieces managed to have a sense of propriety or dressiness to them while also being laid back (perhaps this was because a lot of the materials looked super comfy). Dressy-casual, you might call it. There were also a few really strong pieces: one highlight was a silver dress accompanied by an adorable rectangular blue backpack, another included pale gold patterned pants and a simple brown button down top. The twelfth model wore what I wrote down in my notes as "the best jacket ever"Images via Keiichiro Kinoshita '19.