SNR 38: All of Us Are “Interlinked”

SNR 38 sign celebrating the launch of the "Interlinked" theme. Credit: Isabella Loiacono '27

The Silver Needle Runway (SNR) revealed its new theme at the fashion show’s first-ever launch party on Feb. 15. The celebration for SNR 38 took place at The Academy in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a variety of upperclassmen and professors present, waiting eagerly for the team to disclose their creative direction.

Silver Needle Runway’s team of directors decided on the theme “Interlinked.” The idea applies to all individuals, making one realize that we are simply human beings living life side by side. This connection allows any separation between people to cease to exist and instead create one large shared experience.

“We invite people to relinquish the meticulous control over their lives and embrace the greater idea of interconnectedness of humans and everything around them,” a projected video said to the crowd. “To realize how similar all of us truly are, with every passerby living a life as vivid and complex as your own. As the current of a river does not resist its flow to its grander destination, neither can we. We must accept the flow because we are all intertwined in the end, in the vast matrix of existence.”

“It’s an extension of my thoughts and our team’s whole brain,” said Creative Director Rebecca Defrancesco ‘24. “The inspiration behind this theme was that everything happens for a reason. We know it sounds kind of cliche, but down the line, whether it be in a few days or months, what has occurred will have happened for a reason and for the better.”

While Defrancesco is the head of the group’s creative vision, she claimed that the team was on the same page since their first meeting. The agreement between her and the team had proven to Defrancesco that all people are thinking the same thing without even knowing it.

As the group worked closely together, they felt the interconnectedness between themselves increasing. “We all have different roles as directors, but even all of us are interlinked in the sense that we all have to work together to put on a show at the end of the year,” said Branding Logistics Director Madeline Barone ‘24.

The theme’s effect on the team had not only infiltrated their work, but its message spread to each member, altering their thought process in life.  

“You’ve got to understand that everyone is in the same boat. You may feel alone in your thoughts, but you have to remind yourself that you’re not alone and that we are all interlinked,” said Digital Media Creative Director Archie Coueslant ‘24. “We all feel the same types of emotions and should talk to each other about that.”

To engage the event’s attendees in this sense of interconnectedness, SNR 38’s members provided an activity for guests to complete. There was a roll of string and a board at the entrance to the event. The pieces of string could be cut and tied around pins that were placed on the board. 

One would begin by tying their string on the pin describing who they are, whether a parent, student or another option. From there, the string traveled to other pins that posed personal questions for everyone, such as have you ever been in love or do you want to travel? After tying the string to all the options that applied, there were two final pins to choose from. These pins were accompanied by the question, “Did your thread cross paths with someone else's?” When looking at the results of the experiment, not a single person who attended the event chose the option “No.”

After completing the small project, the theme was effectively communicated to its attendees, making them notice that they somehow connected to every person in the room. It was clear that the directors wanted each person invited to relate to being “interlinked” before they exited the venue.

“I feel like the theme speaks for itself, and it’s a great statement to make,” said Barone. “We are all connected in the sense that somebody could be doing something across the room from you, but they could be doing the same thing as you when they leave here.”

SNR 38 is set to walk on Friday, May 3. With SNR hosting its first launch party and the team having a relatable message to share with the world, the anticipation for the show will likely only grow with this reveal.