Style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak at all, and that’s exactly what Kira Ragazzo will be doing when she struts her stuff down the Lunar Gala runway in a few weeks! Lunar Gala is a student-run organization at Carnegie Mellon that is invested in seeking fashion innovation and talent within the community. Kira, a junior Chemical Engineering major, was talented enough to be selected as an LG model two years in a row.
Kira first got involved with LG when she saw the show with some of her friends during her freshman year. The whole experience was so much fun that she and some of her friends made a plan to audition to model the following year. “This is now my second year modeling,” Kira says, “and it’s been just as fun as I had hoped.”
Kira and the rest of the LG models put an enormous amount of time and effort into making the show a success. They practice at all hours of the day and night, spending invaluable time walking up and down the aisle in painfully tall stiletto heels. In autumn the models work about four hours a week. This time is spent learning choreography, walking for the designers, and being fitted for outfits. The final week of the show is crunch time – the models spend about 35 total hours in dress rehearsals, hair and makeup, and the actual show. “I think the hours are very necessary for first year models that know nothing coming into it,” Kira explains. But she admits that this year has been quite longwinded!
This year, Kira will be walking in five lines and wearing everything from plastic to mirrors to netting and lingerie for each of them. Since the LG designers are less constrained in terms of their outfit designs, they have the freedom to adventure with textiles and technology that they wouldn’t normally have in a traditional fashion show. What does this mean for the models? You’ll have to attend the show to find out!
Although she was nervous for last year’s show, Kira is incredibly excited to see how the upcoming show turns out. She loves modeling and the fashion industry, and she believes that LG is a unique opportunity for students at CMU to try runway modeling in a low-stakes environment. She also admits that walking in heels is – perhaps unfortunately – a necessary life skill for the modern woman. “I definitely have more confidence strutting around in six inch heels after being a part of this show!” Kira affirms.
In the little free time she has between engineering classes and LG practice, Kira also has a campus job and is a member of several national engineering organizations. She also runs cross country and track for CMU. Whether she’s on the trails, on the track, or on the runway, Kira is always working hard and impressing everyone around her with her dedication, commitment and enthusiasm. Make sure to come out and support Kira and the rest of the Lunar Gala models at the show on February 7th in the CUC gymnasium!