With less than a month before graduation and summer vacation, many students are preparing for presentations, researching for term papers, and studying for final exams.

However, if you’re an apparel design and merchandising major planning to graduate, you can add the stress of having a fashion show to that list.

“Time is going by so fast that every single second has to be dedicated to preparation,” said Teresa Sadlowski, a 23-year-old senior who plans to graduate with her design and merchandising degree in May. “It’s crunch time.”

On her desk, a laptop computer sits next to a sewing machine. Hanging behind her is a dress she designed and sewed for the show still awaiting its finishing touches, and strewn across her bed are fabric scraps and unfinished embroidery pieces.

Currently, Sadlowski is enrolled in six classes, which makes meeting deadlines for the May 14 fashion show even more stressful. She dedicates every moment of her day to producing garments.

“Oh my God, this is my baby,” said Sadlowski. “This is a year and a half of blood, sweat, and tears.”

Last summer, during Aztec dance practice, Sadlowski noticed the black, white, yellow, and red curtains being displayed. These sacramental colors became the inspiration for Sadlowski’s line. She took traditional elements from the Aztec culture and added her own little twist to them like an unexpected slit or an embroidery detail.

One concept Sadlowski said she wants to showcase with her line is humility. Although the fashion show is a milestone in her life, she said she considers it a baby step into the fashion world, and doesn’t want anything too flashy or extravagant for her line. She purposely chose a cheap polyester cotton fabric to advocate her concept of simplicity.

For Sadlowski, she isn’t just designing clothes, she’s creating a message.

“This is my life and the way I perceive the world manifested into clothes,” said Sadlowski.

After graduation, Sadlowski said she hopes to make connections in the fashion industry and eventually become a high school fashion teacher. Another apparel design and merchandising senior, Theresa Chaidez, 22, hopes to become a trend forecaster, and eventually open up her own trend forecasting business.

Unlike Sadlowski, who stuck with her original design ideas, Chaidez changed hers as the spring semester unfolded. Originally, she said, she wanted a more professional and formal line that catered to both men and women. Deep burgundies, dark blues, and other elegant hues filled her original color palette.

However, Chaidez opted for a more fun, spring-influenced line after being inspired by lighter materials like linen and cotton when she visited the fabric store. For one of her garments, she also
incorporated '30s and '40s ideas she saw in a bridal magazine.

“I just thought it would be more fun and appropriate for the season,” said Chaidez.

Chaidez still needs to pick out models and music for her show. Like Sadlowski, she also shares the burden of having to balance the fashion show with her other finals. But if there’s anyone who knows anything about having too much on their plate, it’s design and merchandising senior Anastasios Kolonelos, who is not only a designer in the fashion show but a member of the Student Fashion Association at SF State as well.

“I’m very stressed,” said Kolonelos. “I’m worried about getting things finished.”

Although Kolonelos said he got a head start on things, he said he still needs to make sure that all his clothes fit the models. In addition to that, as part of the production team behind the show, he needs to make sure all the models are accounted for from the way they walk to how they pose. Even though Kolonelos said he has “double plates” to carry, he doesn’t mind the responsibility because he’s excited about the show. He also said the SFA is on top of things this year.

Currently, he has three out of six dresses for his line finished, with one being an exceptionally complicated dress to make. The clothing of ancient Greek gods inspired Kolonelos to design a couture line with flowy fabrics and elegant silhouettes.

He said he always knew he wanted to specialize in couture fashions, even as a child watching the Disney movie "Cinderella."

“The mice are making this OK dress for her, then the fairy godmother busted out with her wand and made this couture-looking one,” said Kolonelos.

Despite the fatigue and lack of sleep he’s had lately, his passion for fashion design is what drives Kolonelos. At times when he’s not feeling too confident about his work, he reminds himself why he is
doing it in the first place.

“I try to see myself in the future as one of the names you’re going to throw out at a red carpet event,” said Kolonelos.