Bride-and-groom-to-be, Sharon Barr and Dorian Sabenorio, will model their wedding attire created by Arts Academy students at the upcoming fashion show called “Rustic Wedding.”
Photo by susan monroe

The “Rustic Wedding” fashion show, put on by Idyllwild Arts Academy, will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at the Idyllwild School Gym, to benefit the Idyllwild Help Center. “Brides” and “grooms” will model the gowns and suits. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Help Center and Idyllwild Pharmacy.

Two academy students, Hannah Wakelin and Lexi Kuykendall, will be masters of ceremony this year. They will tell the audience about the up-cycled designs, and the academy designers, as Idyllwild residents model clothing. The term “up-cycled” refers to when a fashion designer uses recycled clothing, and/or fabrics, to create a wearable piece of art. All fabric used for the up-cycled designs were obtained at the Help Center Thrift Store. Quinn Jensen, a high school student at the academy, recovered a suit in “repurposed rustic western.” Mark Davis, who will model Quinn’s creation at the fashion show, asked for “something bright with prints.” Quinn first covered the jacket with a white bed sheet. Then, she added dazzling shapes and colors.

Fashion student Michelle Yan created a short-sleeved flowered jacket and black pants from previously used suits and raincoats. The result is a suit that is lighter and more wearable.

Maeve Gillespie is one of the designers for the wedding ensemble. She is almost finished making a soft liquid peach and lace rehearsal dinner dress for the bride.

Sharon Barr is the bride-to-be. She will be modeling the bride’s dress, made by Vanessa Chang, junior level student in fashion design at the Art Academy. Sharon will model the dress at the fashion show but she will also wear it at her own actual wedding that will be held at an undisclosed time and place after the fashion show. Sharon works at the Academy for the Summer Program.

Fashion student at the Arts Academy, Maeve Gillespie, shows her nearly completed rehearsal dinner dress for the bride. Photo by susan monroe

Sharon Barr will be marrying Dorian Sabenorio. Dorian is a fireman. Adam Chao, a junior at the Act Academy in fashion design, is making a one-of-a-kind suit for the groom.

Sharon says she is very “environmentally conscientious” and likes the idea of up- cycled clothing to wear at her actual rehearsal dinner and wedding. She is not superstitious about Dorian seeing her in her wedding dress before their actual wedding. Dorian is glad to be wearing an original design and says he “likes doing their wedding on a budget.”

The bride and groom aren’t the only two in the wedding who will have their own original up-cycled clothing; designs are also being created for the mother-of-the-bride, a bride’s maid and a ring bearer. Sharon’s mother is coming to the fashion show, all the way from South Africa, Sharon’s home country. She will be bringing a surprise piece of fabric from South Africa to add to Sharon’s dress for the actual wedding.

Just another reminder: purchase your tickets in advance at the Help Center or at the Idyllwild Pharmacy.