Stepping up to the line: Eric Pierce

Sophomore fashion merchandising major Eric Pierce is styling a line for PLNU’s “Make a Statement” themed fashion show that will be held on March 27 at Liberty Station. The evening will be hosted by a professional in the industry from the Point Loma community and will feature a gallery of student artwork.

“I feel like I’m taking advantage of an opportunity that not many people get to do,” said Pierce.

Derek Kirk, the event coordinator said he is excited for the event opening this week.

“As the evening starts we will host refreshments as the doors open and give the guests an opportunity to meet friends, view the art gallery and find their seats,” said Kirk via email.

The evening will consist of six students styling fashion lines and one student designing a line. This is when mayhem will begin backstage: shoes on, accessories in place, models preparing for the runway and student designers and stylists makings sure all is as it should be.

Each designer will trade off when the models walk so that the models with more than one outfit have time to change. Pierce is using only one model, Teddy Hammork, but is planning on having six total outfits for Hammork to wear.

“I heard the night is super fun, kind of hectic, but that’s what makes it exciting,” said Pierce.

This is Pierce’s first year at PLNU. Transferring in fall semester from Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Pierce is excited to be a part of his first PLNU fashion show.

“I’ve just always been into clothes and stuff and how things should look,” said Pierce. He was able to work at Hurley this past summer as a product developer.

When not working or in school, Pierce can be found practicing. He is part of PLNU’s baseball team.

“It’s pretty tough because baseball season is in spring right now too,” said Pierce. “Baseball is my main focus and this show and then the other fashion show coming up in April.”

In late April, Pierece will be designing a line for a student run art/film/fashion show.

For the March 27 show, Pierce is doing a surf culture theme and is using various thrift stores to get the perfect look.

“I just want to make people see that it’s not that hard to look nice,” said Pierce.

Pierce will be styling Hammork using a mixture of Hammork’s clothing and surf style.

“[Hammork] has super good style that is a little different from the surf culture thing I am into,” said Pierce “But you don’t see many people wearing the types of things he does. I want to mix his style with surf. The combination is actually where the industry is headed with a more modern surf look with a big influence from high fashion.”

Hammork is grateful for this privilege and hopes that his walk can motivate and inspire people to see that they can be whatever they want to be in life.

“I’m hoping this opportunity will be able to give me a boost of self-confidence, and potentially be a platform that launches my modeling career,” said Hammork via email. “I am very nervous!! I am a very introverted individual so this spotlight frightens me but I believe with Eric by my side I can strive as a runway model.”

Pierce said that he’s been interested in fashion for a few years now.

“It is a constant growing interest of mine,” he said. “I love the concept of having a product being built from the idea in someone’s head to a tangle product in the consumers hand and all the steps it takes for it to get there.”

Not only is he into fashion and baseball but Pierce said he’s also interested in photography and posts all of his favorites on his blog “Only On Tuesdays.”

“I get inspiration every day from people I see around campus and living so close to the ocean you get to see what the surf culture is into at a certain point in time,” said Pierce.”With that being said, I’m always looking for ways to make it look better, so seeing something that doesn’t look too good gives me inspiration to do better things as well.”

As the evening approaches the models, designers and stylists finish preparations and Pierce is eager for his clothing line’s debut.

“I’m excited more than nervous but I’ll be nervous the day of for sure,” said Pierce.