Marist Fashion Announces Sustainability Podcast, “Down To Earth”
With the recent news of Marist’s campus moving online, Marist Fashion students are, as fashion icon Tim Gunn says, “making it work” from home. The Silver Needle Runway Production Team, which is part of the highly coveted fashion show production class, has moved operations of this year’s show to an online format. With this transition, not only has the show become digital, but most of the communication team’s efforts have been moved online as well. That is where the “Down To Earth” Podcast was born.
The concept, stemming from this year’s SNR theme of sustainability, was created to “open the narrative surrounding our fashion show’s theme,” says Ashley Camuso ‘20, Student Communications Director for SNR34 and host of the podcast.
Marist fashion students say that technology has been on their side amid the coronavirus pandemic, launching a new podcast and moving the Silver Needle Runway show online. Source: Marist Fashion
“We wanted the podcast to be a place where we could step back from our busy lives, strip away our filters and have these raw and honest conversations,” Camuso said. “The title, ‘Down to Earth’ felt like the perfect name for that.”
With the hurdle of not being able to meet with guests in person, the Down To Earth team has been recording episodes via Zoom.
“It’s by far the most commonly used platform for video collaboration and the sound translates fairly well in terms of quality. All of the editing is done through Adobe Audition, which has been a great learning experience, as neither myself or Ashley had prior experience with it,” said Erica Capobianco ‘21, Student Assistant Communications Director for SNR34, and Co-Producer of the podcast.
Guests of the podcast are those who keep values of sustainability close in everything they do. “Throughout the process of talent-booking, we chose a variety of guests who vary in professions from journalism to design and retail. Each of our guests offer unique perspectives on how sustainability has impacted their lives and careers,” said Capobianco.
“My goal is to have a career involving celebrity relations and this process has taught me so much about talent booking,” Camuso said. “When we began creating our dream list of guests, we knew we wanted it to be varied and unexpected.”
The students in the fashion show production class select a theme for the Silver Needle Runway every year to comment on something much bigger than the designs themselves. With this year’s theme of ‘sustainability,’ the podcast producers hope for listeners to walk away with a new perspective regarding it.
“Down To Earth’ is so much more than a fashion podcast. While nearly all of our guests have worked in the industry, our conversations are focused on how the world of journalism, PR, design, and retail can coexist with future sustainability efforts,” Capobianco said. “At the same time, we include fun and light-hearted segments to show how the first step to creating a better world is by celebrating it.”
Camuso also shares her own hope for listeners, “After listening, I hope they know that it’s okay to start small. It’s okay to start with one goal, one class, one podcast. Every effort counts.”
In the face of adversity, the Silver Needle Runway team has come together to create a truly sustainable project. “While it is disappointing we will not be having the fashion show this year, I am so happy that we have this alternative to create a virtual event. On behalf of the Communications Team, we are really prioritizing promotion through Marist Fashion social media channels. Whether it’s take-overs from members of the ‘SNR Quaranteam’ (as we have unofficially named), styling the perfect quarantine looks with Rent the Runway, or adapting our campus events to live streams, we have been so lucky to have technology on our side,” says Capobianco.
As a senior, these circumstances have understandably been hard for Camuso, but she is making the most of it. “As the Student Communications Director of the show, a title I have worked four years to achieve, my role has completely changed following the cancellation of the show.”
While the team may not have been able to get physical experience running a live fashion show, they have gained skills they had not initially expected to gain.
“I think this pandemic will translate into the sustainable fashion movement and even change the event industry forever. People are now drawing lines between necessity and excess. I fully believe events will shift their focus onto community and celebration instead of wasteful extremities.”
A podcast trailer is available now on Apple Podcasts by clicking here, and starting on April 27, full episodes will be streaming there as well. Also, tune into the Virtual 34th Annual Silver Needle Runway Show on May 8.