PUNCH 2025 Shows That “Fashion is a Form of Art”

(Left to right) Maggie Shelton ’26, Lily Rogers ’26 and Isla Peterson ’26 model with Betty Rose Bean ’26 for her PUNCH line.

The 2025 PUNCH fashion show took place on Friday, April 4th. PUNCH (People United for New Creative Hunches) is a fashion club that showcases the creative design talents of upper school students. A tradition since 1998, the club has hosted an annual fashion show that showcases student designs.

The show also doubles as a fundraiser supporting the Suited for Change organization, which helps low-income, local women entering the workforce by providing professional attire as well as career advice and skills for no cost.

Each student designer has the creative liberty to make a fashion line of any number of pieces and out of any materials. Additionally, each line revolves around a theme of the designer’s choice, ranging from personal statements to current trends in the media.

Many students participated who did not design clothes as well; each line can have student models to show off another friend’s work. Model Chase Herwig ’27 said, “Getting ready together was super fun, although stressful, and I think we all loved the excitement beforehand.”

PUNCH executive board member and designer Vivienne Craig ’27 shared, “My favorite look from the show this year was the book dress that Ilsa Peterson [’26] wore, designed by Betty Rose Bean [’26]. It was so beautiful and very creative.”

Shelton next to Peterson in her "book dress," designed by Bean

The well-executed clothing pieces create an interesting show, but the unique and custom accessorizing and personalities shown amplify the

experience. First-time designer Sofia Aquino ’27 commented, “One of my favorite looks from the show this year would definitely be Anya [Husain ’27]’s blue miniskirt paired with the very Isabel Marant-esque brown boots!” She continued, “I thought it was so uniquely put together in Viv [Craig]

and Lisa [Maitland ’26]’s line with a fun clash of colors that additionally complimented Anya’s personality well and was fun to witness both on the runway and backstage.”

Husain walks down the runway at PUNCH 2025

As for trends, the loose guidelines ensure that each line was inspired not only by trends but also by an expression of a designer’s aesthetic, personality, or even emotions to allow for a unique and diverse show. This tradition provides an entertaining show and highlights how fashion is a powerful instrument of self-expression that serves to bring our community together.

Craig shared, “Fashion is a form of art and contains so many emotions and can showcase a person’s soul and personality in ways that may not be immediately visible otherwise. Who knows? Maybe one day the whole world will be wearing the designs- or supermodels will be walking down

the runway wearing their pieces!”