Junior business advertising and fashion double major Hannah Armstrong said that she doesn't want to be that model who trips off the runway. "I'm really nervous for the actual show just because there's going to be a lot of people, and I'm not usually someone who likes to be in front of a lot of people, but I think it will be more fun than speaking in front of people," Armstrong said. Fellow model and junior marketing major Katya Horoszko echoes her sentiments. "I'll probably just focus on trying not to acknowledge other people that are watching, at least while I'm out there," Horoszko said. "Or else I'll get nervous. I know once it gets down to walking out on the catwalk I know I'll get really nervous. I think my biggest fear is walking faster than what I'm supposed to. "When I practice, I just stare at the wall, and I just try to not look at anybody and not laugh. And I know that the songs are kind of fast-paced, and I kind of want to listen to the song and go to the beat, but I know that I have to say, 'slow down, slow down' in my head, so I'm trying to completely not listen to the music and slow my walk down and look at the wall." Los Angeles designer Kid Dangerous is flying into Blacksburg to watch his collection on collegiate models, which adds to the intimidation factor. "I feel like you really need to impress him because he did fly all the way here for it, and you don't want to mess up," Armstrong said. Senior fashion merchandising major Sasha Behring, who will begin the show and be the first model to walk the runway feels the pressure to start the show off on the right foot. "Being the first of what everyone sees, you want it to be good, you want it to be perfect," Behring said. "I just don't want to mess up. I feel like if you mess up first, people are more aware of it." When she's walking, she said that she just looks straight ahead and focuses on the outfit and makes sure that she shows off the garment as much as possible - while trying not to slip and fall. Behring, who has been a model in every fashion show since she was a freshman and was the first model to walk last year, thinks that this year's show has taken to a new level. "It gives us a lot of attitude. Previous years, I've liked the scene but it seemed a lot more calmer, just not like out there," said Behring, whose mother enrolled her in what she called a prep school for modeling and acting when she was 12. "I feel like this is definitely going to give every model - and everyone in the audience - a lot more attitude and have more excitement. Behring’s mother and grandmother will be there tonight to watch her strut down the catwalk, like they have every year, and she hopes that they and the audience will enjoy it. "I just really hope that everyone is pleased with it and that they're excited and want to go next year because I think it's a great thing that our major can offer, because I feel like our major gets the shaft a lot." Horoszko, who lived in Russia until she was 12 years old, has had some experience in the modeling industry. "Well, it's actually interesting because I modeled a little bit before in high school, but I never really wanted to do anything professionally because I like to eat way too much," said Horoszko, before giggling. "(The FMDS show) is interesting - something little, something fun, takes away from your day." She recently strutted the catwalk for the 16 Blocks fashion show and remembers how her heels kept slipping off awkwardly as she was walking in a gown; fortunately, she was able to switch shoes with another model and continued on with her other garments. Both models enjoy the pieces that they'll be wearing during their walks along the U-shaped, 92-foot long runway. "I love my garments; they're great," Horoszko said, who will be sporting a navy gown with a low back, another blue dress, and neutral colored pants with a blazer with brown plaid cuffs. "I really like the nightgown actually because I would wear that actually somewhere out, and then I really liked the blazer, too. It's definitely something that I would wear everyday or even just out and dress it up if I wanted to." Horoszko has noticed a distinct difference in the way that Americans and Europeans dress themselves. "In Russia, women love to wear as little clothing as possible. I know, for example, you'll go out and see all these girls, everyone's wearing big, huge fur coats, like hats, and you'll come to a club, and everyone is dressed up. It's very open there. People aren't really afraid to wear whatever they want to wear, so it's a little more risqu, and people always dress up wherever they go, even grocery shopping."
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