Since they met as undergraduates at UNC, Perrine DeShield and Josh Jenkins wanted to show North Carolina their style.
A fashion show and clothing drive at the Greensboro Cultural Center will jump start the pair’s nonprofit organization, iAMfashion, Saturday.
DeShield and Jenkins both said they’ve been thinking about organizing a fashion show for a long time and didn’t believe it would ever happen.
“It just happened from a thought exchange when you hang out with your friends,” Jenkins said.
Kristin Garriss, publicity chair for the organization, said that a goal of the project was to connect the fashion world to North Carolina.
“When you think of fashion you don’t think of North Carolina so we’re trying to change that,” she said.
DeShield said she and Jenkins wanted to reach people individually.
“We really want to show that everyone and anyone is fashion,” she said.
Three different designers will show their creations at the fashion show. Prior to the show, they will sell some of their items.
Jenkins said the clothes on display are of a wide variety.
“We have the casual, the formal, the vintage,” Jenkins said.
But bringing fashion to Carolina isn’t the only purpose of the event.
The clothing drive following the show will donate all its clothes to foster homes and homeless shelters.
DeShield said the team will arrange the donated clothes in packaged outfits of a top, a bottom and an accessory.
Garriss said the project was a way to combine her passion with a charity event.
“It’s about helping others with something that you’re passionate about,” she said.
Jenkins said that he and DeShield financed most of the event themselves.
“A lot of this has been out of our own pocket,” he said.
Jenkins said his experience as the Carolina Union Activities Board’s performing arts chairman for two years helped him with the logistics of events planning.
“I don’t think that I would be doing this nearly as well if I hadn’t had these experiences at Carolina,” he said.
DeShield said she felt the same way.
“My experiences as an RA for two years helped me,” she said.
“I was used to planning programs.”
Garris said she felt this event was a way to leave her mark as a UNC alumna.
“This is us leaving our heel print as we graduated from UNC.”
See the show Saturday at the Greensboro Cultural Center at 5 p.m. General admission is $10, $7 if you bring clothes to donate.
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