Students' fashion savvy cinches contest win

If you think the displays along the back walls at the Plato's Closet in Libertyville were created by the store's staff, think again.

What appears to be professionally created exhibits actually were created by local high school students.

The clothing store, which sells gently used, brand-name apparel, recently allowed several Lake County high schools to participate in its second annual clothing display contest.

Students from Carmel Catholic, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Warren and Wheeling High Schools all participated in the event. Groups were given one week to finish the project, using clothing and accessories from the store.

The students are involved in their schools' fashion clubs or classes.

Each group picked a theme for their display and decorated their wall accordingly. Students also incorporated clothing in their schools' colors.

"They've done a really nice job," said store owner Pam Onman.

"People don't usually know who made the displays until we tell them," added store manager Brittany Davidson.

Customers were asked to choose which display they liked the best. The winning school could choose their prize: A $250 shopping spree or a donation to a charity.

"We've had a lot of high school students come in and vote, usually for their own school," Onman said.

Voting ended March 16, and Carmel Catholic came out on top.

Davidson said they plan to make this an annual event that will allow more students to participate.

"We like to see high schoolers use their fashion expertise," said Davidson, who added the contest "shows students' creativity."

These displays not only looked good, but also gave students hands-on experience.

"This event was really useful for my future career of interior design," said Megan Drangines, 16, a junior at Carmel Catholic High School. "I had to focus on the design and what accessories looked good on the clothes. We focused on our audience and on what they wanted to see."

This community involvement event "is definitely a good experience for students interested in retail and fashion," Onman said.