N Rs 200 7

Schools are constantly in need of funds. There are many fun activities available to help raise money such as worm charming or a car wash but a great favourite that involves everyone is the fashion show.

Whilst a fashion show will take a lot of planning (several months), the event can really pay off.

The school raises money by ticket sales, a raffle on the night and commission from clothes sales so it is potentially a good money spinner.

Seeing clothes close up can sway a persons decision on whether or not to buy so it is also good for the audience, plus its always nice to see friends and family modelling.

Getting outside help with the show is useful and there are companies specialising in this sort of thing. They will often supply a PA system, music, till, carrier bags and a full length mirror.

Make sure the company you go has experience of putting on fashion shows and that their stock is appealing to your audience. It will also be useful if they have the means to accept credit and debit card payment as this will increase your sales on the night.

You will need to decide whether you want to include refreshments in the ticket price and how much profit you are hoping to make on the night. Be realistic as you don’t want to put people off with the ticket price.

The venue you choose will need to be big enough to seat everyone expected and it needs to have a flat floor. A raised stage area will be an added bonus as it will make the catwalk more of a feature. Plenty of electrical points will be needed, as will a room for the models to change. Changing rooms for the audience to use after the show will also be required. The school hall may be suitable, but if not, consider the village hall or other venues nearby. Seating will also need to be sourced.

A good turn out is needed for the show so you will need to market it to your target audience which will probably largely consist of parents. Send a press release to the local paper, notify the parish magazine and make up posters to put up near the school. The school art department should be quite handy with the posters.

Pupils, staff and parents can all be used as models. Several rehearsals will be required so that everyone knows what to do on the night.

With careful planning, your fundraising fashion show should be a great night out and a financial success too.

Are you going to be organizing a fashion show? There are lots of things to consider for pulling off a mammoth task like this and much attention to detail is needed. Ok, so you may not have to consider every little detail like pest control services for a termite problem that would be taking it too far as those tasks need to be handled by others. However, there is a lot to consider and it can be a very rewarding job if you get it right.

First up there is the budget to think about. Initially, you will need to set the budget and consider which types of sponsors you would like at the event. Do not leave this until the end; make it a first priority and start approaching company’s from the get-go.

The venue needs to be considered, and in doing so, think about the type of show you are going to be holding. Is it a young and funky show or something aimed at pleasing older people? Think about these things and the types of people attending when making the decision on where to hold it. Also, consider transport and the needs of the attendees.

The theme is a major deal with a fashion show as well. It can make or break a show. Once that has been decided, the music, decorations, how many visitors will be attending, the layout of the seating and the types of models needed all need to be thought about.

Space for after the show will also need to be made before the show starts to allow a place to serve drinks at the end of the show. In addition to this, the space where the models prepare for the show has to be large enough to house a certain amount of people.

Invitations will need to be sent out and there needs to be enough time put aside so that the invitations can be chosen, created and sent out.

Advertising must be made prior to the event to make sure enough people are aware the show is coming up and to ensure they keep their schedules free for the event. When you are scheduling a date for the show, it is important to check to make sure there are no other significant events happening on the same night, you do not want to be competing with an equally as popular show.

Every detail when planning and organizing an event is equally important. If one thing does not flow, it can cause or sorts of disharmony throughout the planning process, not to mention the event itself. Before you start absolutely anything for the show preparations, get out your pen and paper and draw yourself a mind map. Start with a large circle in the center and put the name of the show you will be holding. From there, draw lines extending out from the circle and at the end of those lines put the main category name in each circle. Then add lots of words to each of those circles that directly relate to each of them. This little map will be a great start to any show.

School fashion shows can be quite fun if done properly. If done the wrong way, however, it could end up being one boring affair which is only occasionally enlivened by the people laughing at a humiliated model. What you need are some tips to help you.

1) Think of a theme – When putting up a school fashion show, it is always helpful if you use a theme. A theme gives a fashion show a sense of organization and people would be able to relate the fashion to the theme. There are various types of themes to choose from:

a) Season – Basing your school fashion show on the season is always popular. You could design and model various outfits that correspond with the time of year. This would also give you an idea of how to decorate the venue. Basing your school fashion show on a season can help you unleash your creativity and make your brain cells work. How can you balance the freedom of creativity with the confinement of the theme? This will definitely help you improve your skills.

b) Literature – Another great idea for a theme is literature. You should think about basing your school fashion show on a great piece of literature. How about basing it on the book The Great Gatsby? Ever tried creating fashion pieces for Frodo? This can be fun as you will be bringing the visions of authors to life. Basing your school fashion show on a piece of literature can also be a bit easier than other themes since most authors actually have pretty detailed descriptions of the clothes their character wear. This is especially true for fantasy novels. Cloaks, anyone?

2) Music – The music sets the mood for the whole fashion show. It strikes the subconscious of the watchers and thus, determines how much attention they will be paying your school fashion show. This means, of course, that you need to choose the correct sounds to accompany your school fashion show.

You need to choose music that grabs the attention of the spectators enough to mesmerize them. However, you do not want the music to distract the spectators from the school fashion show. The best type of music to use would be instrumental. This is because instrumental music can set the mood for the show without distracting the viewers with familiar lyrics.

3) Lighting – Proper lighting effects are always essential if you want to have a great school fashion show. Together with the background music, the lighting effects give the audience a general emotion to feel. How do you want them to react when they see a certain ensemble? You can make them react as you want them by simply combining light and sound.

4) Spontaneity – Students hate predictability. Because of this, the best thing that your school fashion show could have is a surprise. You need to show your students something unexpected and completely new. In doing so, you will be able to grab their attentions and keep it. By being spontaneous, you will keep spectators guessing as to what will come next. This will keep their eyes on the school fashion show and off their watches and mobile phones. If you can make the audience forget about the gadgets on their pockets, then you would know that your school fashion show rocks!