Grove City may be a small, but there sure is a taste for fashion in the town. Nestled in a local pharmacy behind Broad Street resides a small fashion boutique named JMK. With the goal of affordable and timeless fashion, JMK Boutique has brought a fresh wave of fashion with their boutique, fashion show events and local models. Every fall and spring season, JMK Boutique hosts a fashion show which showcases their seasons clothing lines. With each show, JMK creates a theme that captures the essence of their newest clothing. Although each theme may be different, JMK stays true to their goal of affordable and fashionable clothing. Since their first fashion show in 2013, JMK Boutique has continued to recruit local ladies and men from Grove City College and the town to model their seasonal clothing lines on the runway. The fashion shows are great ways for students to connect with the town and for the locals to connect with students. Each show is always different and exciting, as there are always different people, different clothing and different themes. This series tells the stories of JMK student models who have modeled for two JMK fashion shows.
Name: Alison Kjergaard
Class: Junior
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Fashion inspiration: Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot
Ali Kjegaard joined the JMK modeling family in the fall of 2015. She modeled in “Dauntless,” a fashion show which captured the “dauntless” woman—a woman who is strong, successful and stylish. In the spring of 2016, Ali not only modeled for the “Coastal Revival” fashion show but also appeared on their promotional marketing materials. She and another model were the faces of the Coastal Revival fashion show.
Not having any prior modeling experience, Ali was contacted by Saria Dorsey, JMK Creative Director. Flattered by the opportunity, she agreed and began the new adventure of modeling. Before any type of performance, feeling nervous emotions is typical and almost expected. When it comes to modeling, there is a unique pressure on the models. Not only is there the possibility of tripping, but the models are also presenting the clothing to the viewers. For Ali, she was definitely feeling the nerves, “I didn’t want to trip and ruin the whole show.” Thankfully, she didn’t. Aside from the nerves, modeling in a fashion show is most definitely a unique experience, which Ali definitely appreciates.
“The thing that I enjoy most is that though I’m such an awkward person (I’m kinda tall and just stand out in a crowd), this is when being tall isn’t a bad thing and my awkwardness doesn’t show in the pictures. Modeling has let me embrace the things that make me different–isn’t that the point of dressing well; to allow us to appreciate the things that make us who we are?”
Having the chance to find yourself in a different way is very special because it peels back another layer of who you are. Discovering a new part of yourself can be quite intimidating but also exciting. Ali channeled her unique gift of beauty into a passion of modeling, something she did not consider before. Be on the look out for more of this stunning student model!
