ALL ADVERTISING/GRAPHIC DESIGN/PR FOR THE EVENT WAS DESIGNED AND MANAGED BY OLIVIA SIMS.

What was Olivia Sims’ Role in The Circular Fashion Exposition as Director of Art & Design? (Overview)

Primary Focus: Graphic design, PR, branding, TFN runway direction, all advertising-related deliverables & responsibilities leading up to the event. In continuation of the SP23 CFE.3 rebrand Sims designed last semester to update the event, Sims upheld the rebrand elements by integrating the logo, signature typefaces, and design attributes into CFE.4’s theme. She balanced this responsibility with her design director position for The Fashion Network and being a full-time student, leading up to the event itself, adding up to approximately three months of consistent preparation. Sims, alongside the creative team for CFE.4, took part in formulating, executing, and creating the runway theme of this semester’s expo - A Camp Sensibility. The theme was discussed and established among creative team members, then further elaborated and drawn out (in terms of details) to form mood boards to be used while styling TFN runway models. Alongside the new CFE logo, designed and executed by Sims last semester, she designed icons to represent the CFE.4 theme that was used among advertising deliverables. Sims directed and organized a promotional photoshoot where she styled and took photographs of models to be used as CFE.4 promotional content to advertise the event. The concept behind the photoshoot was created by Sims as she worked with each individual model, photographed the visuals, edited the images, and designed poster advertisements that were dispersed around the UIUC campus and digitally across social media. The CFE.4 Instagram shifted from the black & white theme, implemented by Sims in light of CFE.3’s theme, to follow the CFE.4 theme of camp by introducing a cohesive color palette while still maintaining a unified design including typeface choices, layouts, etc. to continue the brand’s identity properly. Sims designed all banners, posters, and advertising deliverables for the event. The posters she designed were distributed across campus while the large banners she designed were presented around the CFE.4 venue, The Siebel Center for Design, the day of the event. Sims also designed a digital program that presented the full-day itinerary, which was printed at a large scale and presented within the venue during the day. Sims was also a co-director in directing The Fashion Network’s portion of the runway segment, where she directed models, critiqued runway walks, and ensured the flow of the runway was executed according to the executive board’s plan. Sims had to attend all runway rehearsals in preparation for the show. In addition to her director responsibilities, leading up to showday Sims styled herself and walked the runway alongside CFE.4 X TFN directors during the executive board member runway walk and walked alongside the TFN models as a part of the runway show she had been directing throughout the semester. The CFE.4 runway portion was live-streamed and can be viewed here. Sims was interviewed multiple times leading up to CFE.4, as she was featured in articles written by The Daily Illini and was featured on Good Morning Illini alongside executive board members to speak about The Circular Fashion Exposition. 

Sims alongside other executive members and TFN models also walked the most popular street on campus, UIUC Green Street, as if it were a runway as an advertising/promotional public stunt prior to the event. Sims was interviewed about this runway stunt. The Green Street Runway grabbed the attention of the public and was covered by The Daily Illini, student newspaper. 

Brief Overview of Responsibilities/Accomplishments from CFE.4/FA23 Season:

-Designer of the new/updated CFE rebranding implemented this SP23 season - ensuring a unified sense of design was achieved across platforms and advertising deliverables/content and continued this branding into the FA23 season for CFE.4
-Directed and organized CFE.4 promotional photoshoots. Worked directly with models in styling, photographed models, edited visuals, and designed advertisements for the event.
-Poster, banner, program, form, advertising deliverables designer
-Contributed to the CFE UIUC Instagram presence: posting feed and story content, alongside digital posters that were designed by Sims
-Co-director of TFN's runway portion of the show. Directing models, critiquing runway walks, and ensuring the accurate flow of the runway is achieved on show day. Attended runway rehearsals to assist in direction. Managing/Organizing/Floating Responsibilities on the day of the exposition.
-Assisted in the development, creation, and execution of the overall CFE.4 runway theme / designed mood boards and deliverables to inform other participating agencies/organizations of the theme.

The Circular Fashion Exposition UIUC Press & Interviews

Sims was interviewed by The Daily Illini and was featured on Good Morning Illini leading up to CFE. She was additionally featured in articles reviewing show in response to her runway presence. 

The Daily Illini interviewed her to speak on behalf of the fourth Circular Fashion Exposition's execution and purpose, sharing experiences with the event since the Fall 2022 semester for CFE.2, and sharing why this event is as beautiful as it is from her perspective. Link to ‘Circular Fashion Expo is set to stun with fourth exposition’.  

The Daily Illini Editor-In-Chief Lika Lezhava, alongside providing a thorough and honest review of the CFE.4 runway portion of the event, directly reviewed and referenced Sims’ runway look. Link to ‘Review | Heads turn for CFE.4’.