Huntington High School fashion design students showed off their work earlier this week at two public shows in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium that coincided with the district’s annual art show.
The show consisted of Fashion I, II and III students plus several guest models. The students made a variety of garments, including dresses, tops, skirts, pants and hats. The designs ran from classic to ultra-modern and hip. They were colorful and unique.
Teacher Kim Valerio leads the fashion program. (Darin Reed photo.)
Art teacher Kim Valerio heads the high school fashion design program and she smiled broadly throughout the afternoon and evening shows. “I was impressed with my students’ design and fabric choices and am very proud of the end result,” she said. “Most of them were nervous about walking the runway since this was the first time for all of them to do so due to COVID and not having a show since 2019, but they managed to do it and many of them said it was fun.”
The student designers showing their work included:
Fashion I: Christopher Acompora-Miller, Linzy Arias-Galvez, Rosie Arner, Renata Beltran Soto, Idalia Chavez Hernandez, Juliana Dentico, Lea Devoe, Alyssa Evans, Rob-Myrna Geneus, Jonah Gillenwater, Izabella Gomez, Stephanie Guillen-Flores, Emily Kustera, Taylor Nappi, Sage Portillo, Toni Reyes-Sorto, Roberto Rodriquz Bolanos, Stephen Spina, Angel Uceda-Enamorado, Brianna Velasquez Vasquez, Julia Aldas, Liva Camarata, Yareli Campos Valencia, Alexandra Centrone, Layla DeVille, Elizabeth Elle, Brooke Evans, Celina Flores Lopez, Jacqueline Gonzalez-Alvarez, Luis Hernandez-Galdamez, Sophia Matheus, Gricelle Rojas, Krisanny Rondon, Xiomara Ticas-Chavez, Maria Verfenstein
Fashion II: Yoselin Avila Anariba, Ismaris Bonilla, Minerva Castillo, Jennifer Lopez Del Cid, Lily Mitek, Skyla Navpari, Nataly Rodriquez, Adriana Abbatiello, Sonia Acevedo Ortiz, Shanelly Benitez-Euceda, Ariana James, Samantha Koepele, Jessica Kuom, Gianni Portillo-Moreira, Ashlee Vaquerano, Stephanie Chavez-Menjivar, Maikol Arreaga
Fashion III: Aria Hannah, Anyi Hernandez Alverto, Isabella Lanfranco, Michelle Lopez
Guest models included Lily Froggatt-Bale, Brandon Fucci, Brayan Santos and Jayson Chavez.
Some of the show’s highlights included:
• Sophomore Fashion I student Roberto Rodriguez Bolanos created a vest made of striped red and gold velvet. He also patched some of the velvet fabric onto a pair of jeans and made bucket hat to match.
• Freshman Fashion I student Celina Flores Lopez created a complete ensemble that included a blue dress, a mini lace jacket and a shell necklace.
• Senior Fashion I student Jacqueline Gonzalez-Alvarez walked the runway twice. First, she wore a floral shirt with matching tie belt that she made. Later she walked out in a matching top and skirt that she created by cutting up an old pair of jeans and combining the denim with lace fabric. She is graduating a year early and will be attending Fashion Institute of Technology in the fall.
• Sophomore Fashion I student Krisanny Rondon created a three-piece outfit that included a matching pink satin top and skirt and a sparkly knit jacket with a sheer fabric trim.
• Sophomore Fashion II student Jennifer Lopez Del Cid created a two piece navy blue striped top and matching skirt. The top has grommets and lacing on the back. She also created a matching navy blue striped vest that was worn by guest model Brayan Santos.
• Sophomore Fashion II student Stephanie Chavez-Menjivar made a long flowy lavender and black print dress for herself. In addition, she made a bucket hat with a hand painted design for her younger brother, Jayson Chavez who also walked the runway. He’s is a student at J. Taylor Finley Middle School.
• Sophomore Fashion II student Samantha Koepele made numerous fashion pieces this year. She walked the runway twice. First, she wore a matching top and skirt that she made from a vintage 1960s fabric that photography teacher Pamela Piffard gave her. Later she wore a skirt with pockets and a zipper and a top embellished with lace, ribbons, and charms. Her friend Lilly Froggatt-Bale also walked the runway in one of Ms. Koepele’s creations; a skirt, corset top and gloves combination.
• Junior Fashion III student Aria Hannah walked the runway twice, first wearing sheer tan knit leggings and a coordinating white knit sweater. Later, she walked wearing a textured brown knit dress with cut-outs. She also made an off-white gown with boning and chains, which was on display at the art show and had previously been on exhibit at the Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery.
• Senior Fashion III student Anyi Hernandez Alverto created a 1980s inspired lime green and black checkerboard patterned halter top and added the same fabric to a pair of velvet pants to match.
Superintendent James W. Polansky was in attendance for the afternoon show. Hundreds attended both show, including Huntington School Board members and many teachers.
Art teacher Kim Valerio
A graduate of Harborfields High School, Ms. Valerio holds an undergraduate degree from Parsons School of Design. After working for many years in graphic arts, mostly in New York City, she returned to college and obtained a master’s degree in art education at Long Island University-CW Post.
Ms. Valerio completed her student teaching requirements in Huntington. She then worked as a substitute teacher in Huntington and in several other surrounding districts. She was hired as a part-time art teacher in Huntington in 2010 and became full-time in 2015. Throughout the years she has worked in all eight buildings in the district in some capacity. Ms. Valerio teaches courses in Creative Crafts and Fashion at Huntington High School and directs the student fashion shows at the annual district-wide art show.
