Students were invited to strut their stuff Saturday at the 411 Effect Model Search in hopes of being chosen to model clothing designed by students and local businesses at an April show.
411 Effect is a group of students working to put on an event also called 411 Effect. The April 6 event will connect students to local business as well as student organizations, and will include a fashion show.
Urban planning junior David Lewis, owner of Modelew, said many Arizona businesses are going to benefit from this event, like Divaz Boutique and Here on the Corner, both local clothing stores.
“They get to connect with students and interact with possible customers, and students get to find out where they can shop,” Lewis said. “Being from New York, I could walk out my door and know where to go to get anything, but here, it’s not as obvious.”
Model hopefuls went to the Downtown campus to audition for modeling spots for the show.
Journalism junior and 411 Effect president Louanná Faine said the group could have used professional models but chose to use college students.
“We want people of all races, all shapes, all sizes,” she said. “This show is about real college students. We want people to be able to see themselves in these clothes.”
Not only are students participating as models, but some of the clothes in the show were designed by students. Urban planning junior Clint Evans, owner of Individual, a clothing line, will have some of his clothes in the show.
Evans also designed the 411 Effect logo, as well as promotional shirts for the event.
“I’m glad to get involved with this, because not only does it promote my business and others, but we’re trying to merge Tempe and Phoenix together,” Evans said. “It’s like a big mosh pit, and that’s great.”
Evans said after working with small businesses, he has a lot of sympathy for them and understands how hard it is to get people to shop at smaller stores instead of chains.
“I think it will really liven up the Downtown campus if students realize what sort of atmosphere they can have down there,” he said, adding that he felt he had already gained a lot of experience from being involved in the event.
“I designed a logo, and to be honest, I hadn’t done anything like this before,” he said. “This is helping me expand and helping me get some experience. The models are also getting some great experience too, just being able to build up their portfolio[s].”
Nursing sophomore Charrae Thomas auditioned for one of 20 spots in the show Saturday and said she’s interested in modeling professionally.
Because she hasn’t modeled many times before, Thomas said she’s hoping the 411 Effect show would bring her more experience.
As a Downtown campus student, Thomas said she is interested in finding more places to shop, and was glad the show was for local clothing designers instead of chains.
“If the show has local businesses, they will get business,” she said. “Once they have money, they can branch off and move to bigger and better things, which will only benefit the downtown area.”
Reach the reporter at sheydt@asu.edu
