Alumnus Priya Bhikha (’10) continued her passion for fashion on August 13 when she held her own individual runway show at Harker that featured designs made of fabric instead of the recycled material segment she created for last year’s fashion show “Outside the Box: Chic and Unique.”

Unlike her debut this February, Priya hosted the event independently and the designs were not made of recycled materials, but instead based on Indian designs.

“I wanted to expand my portfolio and experience and have at least one independent show under my belt before I head off to New York City,” she said.

Although this resulted in a little more stress, she also said that the fashion show was stressful as well because it was during the school year.

Priya began designing her outfits in early May this year. For this show, over 35 pieces were used for her models and decided to play more with the fabric than the design.

“It’s hard to describe it […] while I sketch, I watch TV shows I love. I base my ideas off the relationships between people and how they interact with one another,” she said.

She changed her outfit-creating process this time around as she did not have a solid vision.

“I’d go to the fabric store, and I’d pick out what I wanted for the top and bottom rather than decide on a style and then pick the materials that would flatter it,” Priya said.

Michelle Vu (12), one of her many models, did not participate as a fashion model in February, but once she saw Priya’s designs, she seized the opportunity to model for her.

“I wanted to model for Priya because I thought her designs for the fashion show were amazing, and I really loved wearing some handmade creations of hers,” Michelle said.

Priya Banerjee (’10), who modeled in both her shows, thought the designs were very unique. “They were Indian but had such a modern twist on them … I’ve never seen anything like them,” she said. “She’s going to be so famous one day!”

Priya’s creations received positive feedback from the audience as many were enthralled by her take on her American representation of Indian fashion.

“I got a really good response, which I am super excited about. I’ve sold a few of my outfits, and I got a few custom orders from others. It’s been a bigger success than I previously imagined,” she said.

Isha Patnaik (10), who watched the show, definitely believes that fashion is her forte.

“She’s really talented and has a bright future as a revolutionary designer. I could see myself walking into a store and buying something she designed,” she said.

Isha’s mother, Namrata Patnaik, was a volunteer backstage. She had never seen all the pieces together until the day of the show.

“The collection fit together very well. I wished the show was longer… it was too short!,” she said.

Priya hopes to pursue her fashion career and eventually work in the fashion industry.

Priya said, “From here, I’ll go wherever the wind blows me. I love the business aspect of it all, but I love being able to use my creative side as well,” she said. “Hopefully, ten years from now, I’ll be doing what I love, whether it’s designing or working behind the scenes during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.”