Imagine a fashion show that transports you to a different place. It immerses you in the sights, sounds and textures. The ecosystem thrives in front of your eyes on the runway, daring you to try to ignore it when it’s bright and bold and right there.

The soft fluff of a coat conjures a bison. Fluttering feathers of green, yellow and red introduce you to a weed that thrives on salty water. A mesmerizing, ombre colored gown takes you to blue hour at the waning shores of Utah’s largest and dying lake.

That’s exactly what the 21 looks in the GSL Luxury collection did at a fashion show on Saturday night for hundreds of people at This is The Place Heritage Park.

On a runway flocked by greenery and LED lights matched to outfits, to the beat of a custom-scored soundtrack, models brought the Great Salt Lake, some 20 miles away, to the city.

For Chris Carlson, creative director of the art advocacy project, it all started with a dream two years ago. Each of the looks is inspired by a photograph Carlson took at the lake. Those photos were projected on the screen behind the runway as each model walked down it.

“It’s superseded all expectations,” Carlson said ahead of the show. “I thought it would start out as a small little art show. It’s actually bigger and better than I thought it would be.”

The scope of the project — which features student fashion designers from across the state — has grown over the past few months, particularly the monetary impact it will have.

Prior to the show, because of sponsorships, GSL Luxury was able to raise $250,000 for Great Salt Lake Rising, a coalition dedicated to rescuing the lake and returning water to it before the 2034 Winter Olympics.

Each of the looks in the show was sponsored by a donor, either someone anonymous, or a major philanthropic organization in Utah like The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation, Zions Bank, Huntsman Family Foundation and others.

Lisa Eccles, president of the Eccles Foundation, got involved in the project six months ago when she realized the impact it could have, especially because of how Carlson was approaching the “number one issue in our state.”

“We’re so used to the data and the scientific approach, but this is going to bring art and another generation to the Great Salt Lake,” Eccles said.

At the end of the show, Eccles surprised Carlson and the crowd. She pledged an additional $1 million to Great Salt Lake Rising.

It was a big night for designers too, like Brianne Pearce and Emily Celeste Ball, who created The Eared Grebe Gown and The Saltair Suit.

Ball painted the blue and white design on the black suit with fabric paint, while Pearce spent hours beading it by hand. The lights of the runway twinkled off the beads as the model strode down it.

“We just really wanted to convey with this one how what it would look like if we really prioritize saving the Great Salt Lake,” Ball said of the model’s blue and white look.

The duo also crafted a similar suit, one with oranges, reds, and hidden skulls, which Utah Gov. Spencer Cox was wearing at the show.

“The other suit is more like what happens if we don’t [save it],” Ball said.

He and Utah first lady Abby Cox, who has been a vocal supporter of the project, sat in the front row. She wore a version of one of the designs at the Governor’s Gala earlier this year.

At that event, Carlson said, a “bunch of Republicans asked really smart and concerned questions” about the lake, something that gave him hope.

“I’ve realized through this project that saving Great Salt Lake is not a partisan issue; it’s a Utah issue,” Carlson told the crowd on Saturday.

Other designers, like McKenna Krauss, who designed the Blue Heron Dress, wanted to capture the beauty of the inspiration photos. Her model wore heels under her feathered blue dress to showcase the bird’s height.

Carlson surprised each of the designers with a $2,000 check at the end of the show. The plan is to now build the collection as an art exhibit and take it around to different Utah cultural institutions, he said.

Josh Romney, the president of Great Salt Lake Rising, spoke at the end of the show, too. He noted that the “natural beauty of the lake is overlooked” too often.

But on Saturday night, on the runway, that beauty was bold, and demanding of attention.

The night’s last look, a Salt Crystal-inspired gown, had tiny mirrors sewn into its train, twinkling and bright, reflecting onlookers awed gazes.

This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative with funding from Love the Lake, an initiative of the non-profit Great Salt Lake Alliance. Editorial decisions are made independently by the Collaborative and partner newsrooms.