Pure Fashion model Deneise Vela, a Culver High School sophomore, holds the hoops for 5-year-old Maria McComish of Mishawaka, at a Lincoln Junior High Pure Fashion service event. Pilot PHOTO/JEFF KENNEY

By Jeff Kenney Staff Writer
CULVER — The adults of the Marshall County area who are involved in Pure Fashion Michiana are among many concerned about the sexualization of young women in media and popular culture, and they decided to do something about it.
Last year, a group of area adults formed a local chapter of the national Pure Fashion program, which is described on the group’s website (www.purefashion.com, with a link under “Michiana” for the local chapter) as “an international faith based program designed for girls 14-18 to help young women re-discover and re-affirm their innate value and authentic femininity.”
What that means for Pure Fashion Michiana coordinator Cindy Casper, of Argos, is “helping these girls to remain pure and modest, and growing in virtue…to help them preserve (their) innocence and know their true worth. Clothing today in many ways treats the girls as objects. (We) want them to focus on their inner beauty.”
Towards that end, Pure Fashion in Marshall County involves an eight-month formation process, says model Cassie Eberly, a Plymouth High School junior and member of St. Mary’s parish in Culver. “People are like. ‘Oh, it’s just a fashion show.’ It’s a lot more than a fashion show.”
It’s also as much about lighting the proverbial candle as it is cursing the darkness. Eberly and Culver High School sophomore Deneise Vela — both in their first year as models — were among the girls who attended a retreat in Bloomington recently as part of their formation for the program. “One talk was about taking time away for God,” recalls Vela. “Another was about health. Another was about dressing so you don’t tempt guys.”
Amanda Master, a freshman at Culver Girls Academy, is in her second year as a model. “The media — they set trends and make styles of clothes,” says Master. “And they convince young girls and guys that they have to dress like this in order to be popular or be normal. Pure Fashion (says) you can embrace the styles that you like, but there’s also a way to express inner beauty…to be yourself. That’s what will make people the most attracted to you.”
“I’m not one for fashion per se,” notes Eberly. “I’m way more comfortable in a t-shirt and jeans. But the purity message…as a teenager today, the (sexual) pressure is so enormous. If (the message of Pure Fashion) starts here in little Plymouth, it will spread to South Bend, then Chicago, and beyond.”
Pure Fashion has already spread locally, even since last spring’s first modeling show in South Bend, says Michiana Pure Fashion model formator Lori Day, of Plymouth. Models hail from Bremen, Lakeville, Argos, Culver, LaPorte, and Plymouth, says Day. “Last year we had 18 models,” she says. “This year we have 30.”
Day was inspired to start Pure Fashion in Marshall County when she attended a show in Fort Wayne a few years ago. Then Day’s daughter became a Pure Fashion co-worker in Atlanta. “She came home so alive and said, ‘we have to do this.’…God put it on my heart that that’s what I should do. And these young ladies give me more than I could ever give them.”
Sasha Pask, a mother of six from Argos, is in her second year of involvement with the group, even though none of her children are in their teens yet. “I have three young girls,” says Pask. “I want them to know that it’s what’s inside their hearts, not the clothes they wear. And the fact (is) that when you see these (models) and they truly understand their inner beauty, they truly have a radiant smile. Look at Cassie (Eberly): she smiles with her whole heart.”
“(Pure Fashion) teaches social graces,” continues Pask. “Phone etiquette…good clothing selection…public speaking, leadership. Important things.”
Pure Fashion Michiana is gearing up for its 2008 show, slated for April 13 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Palais Royale in South Bend. At the show, explains Day, each girl models three outfits, loaned by area retailers for the show.
Casper says that news of Pure Fashion in the Marshall County area – which is headed by a 13-member team and aided by “a lot of other people” — has spread by word of mouth. She notes that, while many of the models are Christians, Pure Fashion is open to everyone. “One of our girls is a Buddhist foreign exchange student,” notes Casper.
Day adds that donations are always welcome. The group may be contacted by reaching Beth Pare in Culver at 574-842-4321, Lori Day in Plymouth at 574-936-6516 or Sasha Pask in Argos, at 574-892-6711. “We need benefactors and sponsors,” says Day.
“This is a big deal…we want to change the culture and what they’re offering our girls. They’re beautiful. They’re innocent.”