Celebrating fashion and so much more

The Friends of Fashion pulled out the stops for their annual show Sunday in Chassell. Models across the age spectrum strutted on a stage in what used to be the HomeEc classroom at the former school, now the Chassell Heritage Center. The theme was “America Celebrates.” The focus of the first half was split between the women’s suffrage movement and welcoming troops home from various conflicts in the country’s history.

One of the most powerful moments was a recreation of the Pulitzer prize winning photograph of a teenage girl rushing to reunite with her father, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stirm, based out of K I Sawyer in Marquette. Stirm was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. It was a firm reminder that elation and agony are often tied together.

President Sandi Engel says every outfit modeled was donated.

The second half of the show was a bit more helter skelter. It kept to Chassell and northern Houghton County, featuring Easter outfits and the celebration of spring. The Strawberry Festival got time to shine, with two former queens in attendance. Don Mattson’s letter jacket made an appearance in a segment on sports alongside the Red Wings exhibition at the Calumet Colosseum. The closing was a re-creation of a dance at Dee Stadium.

The show is a culmination of about nine months’ worth of effort. Next year’s theme will be decided during an organizational meeting this fall.