Students from the Beverly Hills High School (BHHS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) program showed off the skills they’ve learned throughout the school year at a colorful, elaborate fashion show in the BHHS courtyard on May 19. The school’s video production, audio production, culinary, and fashion design classes joined together for an event featuring catered spreads, original music performed by live musicians, and a vibrant array of runway-ready outfits inspired by the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. It was the first show of its kind produced by the CTE program.
Students spent about three months preparing the designs, music, and recipes for the big day. It was the capstone project for some of them. For others, it was a chance to plunge into a new experience after two years of learning behind a screen. “I’m not sure what I want to do yet, but this is definitely an option,” Sophia Beroukhim, a video production student, told the Courier. “It’s nice to have the opportunity to learn more about cameras and film, and how it works.”
Audio production students Will Judd, a senior, and Kate Schermer, a sophomore, played original guitar and piano arrangements before the show began. “It’s always nice to help out a group of people that I don’t get to talk to very much,” Judd said. “It feels like something for myself that I could do to increase the amount of music that I do at the school and the amount of people I meet.”
Mayor Lili Bosse and other local officials came to show their support for the school. Bosse is a BHHS graduate. “As an alumni myself, it is so exciting to see what is happening here at our Beverly Hills schools,” Bosse said. “I bet you that some of what we see here is just the beginning of what we’ll see on the Paris and New York runways, and on Rodeo Drive.” Video interludes during the program, filmed and edited by the video production students, showcased the work that went into creating each outfit. The student fashion designers, some of whom
designed three or four looks for the show, came out to bow with their models. It was a proud day for the CTE teachers who came to support their charges. Audio production teacher Alex Briteman helped his students compose, master, and edit music for the production. “One student brought in his horn and did live horns,” Briteman said. “For a few of them, that was the first time they’d gone through the creative process, and they were excited about it.” Each class learned the process of their craft from start to finish, an experience their teachers hope will follow them into college and beyond.
“I’m hoping that they all become designers,” Ivory said. “I’ve been a designer for over 20 years now, I tell the students all the time, we need them in the industry. They’re so creative and so involved. I’m so proud of them.” Ivory said the theme for the evening was inspired by her days as a designer. “I’ve actually shown twice at New York Fashion Week, and my first show was Frida Kahlo,” Ivory said. “At first, I was going to do Cinco de Mayo, and then I thought ‘wait a minute!'”
