Itsy, preemies supported by fashion show

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: STEPHANIE LAI
Merissa Vere and Aleeyah Griffith with their Batgirl-inspired garment, which will be shown on the runway at the show on March 26.

A charity created by a former Fanshawe employee is still getting support to this day with the help of students, lots of recycled materials and glue guns.

Fashion Merchandising’s annual fashion show raises funds to support Itsy, a charity that raises funds to financially relieve families of premature babies.

When the fashion show first began to support Itsy, the theme was a futuristic one.

“I thought it was very fitting, you know babies are our future,” said Linda Jenken, instructor in Fashion Merchandising. “What a great fit to be able to support a charity that’s new, it’s grassroots. We can really make a difference.”

Merissa Vere, a first-year student in Fashion Merchandising, is a former preemie herself and says the show has more meaning.

“I know what people have to go through – the costs and everything,” she said. “It’s something I hold dear because I know I’ve been through it was well.”

Vere says she’s grateful to her parents for coping with the costs.

“When my younger sister was born there was actually a child that was premature just like me and her parents put her up for adoption because they didn’t want to deal with it,” she said. “I’ve turned out pretty well seeing how early I was born.”

Vere’s class partner Aleeyah Griffith is happy to create pieces for this cause.

“I think it’s amazing how each of our fashion shows supports something so great,” she said. “It’s awesome how we make all [this] stuff and show it off for these causes.”

The show, now in its seventh year, will revolve around a theme dubbed Invincible.

“We’re basing it very much so on the Marvel comics,” Jenken said.

Vere and Griffith decided to create a Batgirl-inspired garment, using materials Vere had at home.

“A lot of it’s made from recycled garbage bags,” Vere said. “I’m just happy that you can make almost anything out of recycled material and it’ll still look nice.”

Though the challenge is to make wearable art, Jenken says this year in particular is one to attend.

“The use of the recycled materials this particular time is fantastic,” Jenken said. “They’ve taken inspiration from heroes and villains we all know but they’ve all kind of created their own villain or hero.”

To date, the wearable art show has raised close to $50,000 for Itsy. Jenken says the show raises around $5,000 each year.

Itsy was created in 2008 by the parents of a former premature baby. Proceeds fundraised by Itsy help to relieve the costs and pressures families of preemies are faced with when caring for premature children.

This includes travel, hospital parking, meal cards and breast pumps.

The Invincible wearable art fashion show will be at the London Music Hall on March 26. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. They can be purchased at Live Chic, The Biz Booth and the office of M3010.