BURN: Silver Needle Runway 40’s Theme Bites Back
Photo Credit: Ava Battinelli ‘26
Following months of collaboration between directors and designers, Silver Needle Runway (SNR) announced the theme for their 40th annual show, BURN, at the Marist Boathouse on Feb. 19. The message of fire invokes burning passion, the college burnout experience and the state of student life.
Unlike the clean lines of P3RSP9CTIVE, BURN uses a distinct fiery red, with noisy gradients and bleeding light. This year’s reveal video featured Rechee Smith ‘26, depicted as an athlete pushing himself to perform under the pressure of self-doubt and performance.
“The aesthetic is definitely darker than it was last year,” said Creative Director Natalie Ursich ‘26. “It's very different thematically; we are taking a lot of inspiration from athletic advertising and commercials. I think it's just how all of us as directors combine what we wanted the show to look like.”
Even though BURN encapsulates the idea of destruction, the idea of using it as something to form the student experience takes the stage in the idea of forging forward.
“ It’s more so thinking about how you foster that kind of fire, and it spreads throughout our community and it's not just you feeling it,” said Ursich. “There are so many other people also experiencing the same thing.”
SNR’s theme, message and execution are developed by students who apply to a class dedicated to the show, taught by Faculty Advisor and Professor Juan-Manuel Olivera-Silvera.
“ We have students that are art majors and fashion majors, communications, film, TV, emerging media, and they all bring their own perception of things,” said Olivera-Silvera. “It really makes it something that a lot of people can relate to.”
While BURN is this year’s theme, SNR, celebrating its 40th show, takes center stage in the event’s focus.
“ It's really focusing more on this brand identity that is more constant as opposed to the theme that changes every year,” said Olivera-Silvera. “There’s this idea that this is such a milestone because it's 40 years of SNR, it’s hard to imagine. There have been so many different generations.”
Designers for the show are looking forward to presenting their take on the abstract theme of BURN.
“Us designers all come together, and these are the different passions we have, and what connects us all is this passion for creating and for fashion,” said Caroline Lacey ‘26. “ My collection is about my passion for the ocean. That's really what I'm speaking to.”
“We live in the studio, we spend so much time working and putting so much effort in these collections and work,” said Laura Orozco Vaquero ‘26. “ I feel like now that we are starting to work with real fabrics and starting to put everything together and seeing colors and everything, the passion is just coming along with us, and it's getting better.”
SNR40 will take place on May 8, 2026.