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Fashion Industries HS Freshmen Strut Their Stuff on First Day of School

By Alan Neuhauser | September 9, 2013 12:39pm
 Incoming freshmen at the High School of Fashion Industries turned the hallways into runways for the first day of school Monday, Sept. 9, 2013.
Freshmen Arrive at the High School of Fashion Industries
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CHELSEA — The hallways turned into runways Monday for a group of freshmen at one local high school.

Incoming ninth-graders at the High School of Fashion Industries on 24th Street in Chelsea — which offers instruction in everything from fashion design to illustration to marketing — took a cue from the folks at Fashion Week and sported their best styles on the first day of school.

"I took a lot of time," laughed Carolyn Villavizar, 13, wearing a maroon T-shirt tucked into jeans, immaculately straightened hair and a necklace spelling out the word "Great."

"I'm excited and nervous."

Polka-dots were a common theme at the fashion-focused school, appearing on everything from shoelaces to backpacks.

"I just like to match," said 14-year-old Myasia Cody, of East Harlem. "White dots and white pants, and the [shirt's] white buttons go with my brown shoes. That's it — I didn't want to go all-out."   

Jarred Dailey, 14, who also lives in Harlem, wore a blue Yankees hat, blue-ringed T-shirt and True Religion jeans to match the shoelaces on his LeBron-branded Nike sneakers, which were spotless.

"I'm nervous," he acknowledged of his first day, crossing his arms to pose for a photo. "New school, new people, trying to make new friends — and especially with the new teachers."

A cluster of parents stood outside the school's front doors watching as their kids entered the building.

"I know it's a very good school," said Bensonhurst resident Joselyn Henriquez, standing with her 14-year-old daughter, Gracie. "I just hope my daughter gets acquainted."

She paused, then reached into her bag to find tissues as her eyes began to tear.

"This is the first time I'm bringing her to school in the city," she said. "It's a very big day for me."

Recent graduate Stefanie Saldana, 18, stood nearby, talking with a friend and fellow alumnus as the students filed past.

"It's cool, it brings us back," said Saldana, who's studying criminal justice at Monroe College. "It was fun for four years, but," she nodded toward the line of freshmen, "I'm just happy we're done with this."