Students walk it out in Fashion Week modeling competition

If Penn Fashion Week is Penn’s response to Project Runway, then Wharton Asia Exchange’s Walk Off is Penn’s answer to America’s Next Top Model.

Under the dim lighting of Claudia Cohen Hall, models strutted to the beat of thumping house music, vying for title of the night’s best model.

Unlike conventional fashion shows where designers and stylists dictated over runway styling, the Walk Off presented models with the opportunity to select their own outfits.

Models were judged on their walk, runway presence and styling choices. The winner was awarded a $500 gift card from Rent The Runway as well as a photo shoot for BCBG with College sophomore photographer Natalie Franke.

Tony Wang, one of the chief organizers of the event, said the goal was to showcase the people rather than the clothes.

“We obviously don’t expect models to come out of this, but we have lots of beautiful people at Penn and it’s a great way to show them off,” said Wang.

Attendees seemed to echo his sentiment with a huge turnout from the models’ friends and families.

However, the Walk Off remains true to its roots as a fashion show ­— it does not neglect its designers.

A key priority of this year’s show, said organizer Lauren Haber, was to introduce more contemporary designers through sponsors like Rent The Runway and Kembrel.

Both Rent The Runway and Kembrel offer affordable options for acquiring designer threads. Rent The Runway works directly with designers to rent out runway pieces at discounted prices and Kembrel offers designer sample sales targeted exclusively toward university students.

Both companies showcased a series of designers at the Walk Off, ranging from Proenza Schouler, Roberto Rodriguez and Hervé Leger to LaRok and Tibi.

Styles were current and appealing to the college demographic. In-season pieces embellished with feathers, exposed zippers, ruffles, pleats and bold shoulders in particular dominated the runway.

“The objective,” said Lara Crystal, director of marketing at Rent The Runway, “is to educate the consumer … to introduce the younger generation to contemporary designers and their work.”

At the end of the night, concluding four rounds down the runway, Bree Arditi, a College freshman, was declared the winner.

“She seemed to have the most fun,” said Crystal.

And that’s what the show seems to be driving home — the message that fashion should be not be impersonal, it should fun.

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