Poppy and other prettiness at Sault College (13 photos)

Chessa Syrette takes her inspiration from nature.

Particularly, from the more raw and tactile fabrics made from natural stuff like silk.

Syrette is a graduate in fashion design from George Brown College and Fine Arts.

She was one of two designers featured in a fashion show hosted last night by the native student council at Sault College.

Syrette gives each of her creations a name.

This dress, shown by local model Jasmine Jones, is called Poppy.

It's part of Syrette's latest line.

She designs clothing for women of all shapes and sizes and makes the garments herself at home on an old Singer sewing machine, the kind you have to store in an oil bath, then flip up and pour the oil in when you want to use it, she says.

Last night's show in Enji Maawnjiding (the native centre at Sault College) also featured traditional pow-wow dancers modelling their own regalia and clothing by another local designer, Daniel P.A. Jones.

Visiting members of the College Student Alliance advocacy group helped pack the house with the models cheered on with enthusiasm.

Hair was done by Sault College's own hairstylist/ hairdressing students and makeup by Patricia Shuttleworth and Missy Lesage.

Many of the models were Sault College students and some were friends/ finds of the show coordinator, Patrick Hunter.

The show was hosted and organized by Hunter, the native student council president at Sault College and a second-year graphic design student who's done a little modelling himself in the past.

Hunter was understandably happy with his first effort at coordinating a fashion show.

So happy, in fact, that he's already starting to talk with the college about putting together another one he hopes to deliver next spring.