Meet The 2015 University of Texas Fashion Designers

This year the annual University of Texas Fashion show called “Fusion” will showcase more than twenty twenty talented designers who will send their creative designs down the runway in front of a packed Frank Erwin Center on Thursday night.
The designers will not only be premiering their designs but they will also be competing for several awards, such as Most Wearable Collection and a special presentation sponsored by Lexus.
A fashion challenge was given to the junior fashion design students and they were asked to design a garment inspired by the all-new 2015 Lexus RC.   “The top 10 designs will be shown on the runway and the audience will text to vote the winner, who will receive a scholarship from Lexus of Austin”, said Cassie Lemere, Marketing Director for Lexus of Austin.
The Immersed In Cotton display will open up the evening festivities at 5:30 pm and the fashion show will begin at 7:15 pm and the show will be broadcast LIVE on the The Longhorn Network for the third year in a row. Congratulations to all the designers and we will see you at the end of the runway!

	Designer Name: Carissa Lynn Melendez Hometown: San Antonio, TX Major: Textiles and Apparel Design, as well as Business Foundations Program Name of Collection: Amor a Primer Beso (Love at First Kiss) Favorite Designer: Zuhair Murad Favorite Austin Restaurant: Annie’s Cafe and Bar Cats or Dogs: CATS–ALWAYS!! Ragdoll kitties to be specific. I’m a cat lady for sure ; ) Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: I would absolutely love to work with Burberry in London, and help not only design Menswear but also help put on the fashion shows as well!! I feel like I would learn so much from both experiene.
	Designer Name: Leonie Versteeg Hometown: Emmeloord, The Netherlands Major: Retail Merchandising Name of Collection: Dovah (“Dragon”) Favorite Designer:Zac Posen Favorite Austin Restaurant: 24 Diner Cats or Dogs: Cats. 2, actually: a little orange one named Lana and a 19lb gentle giant named Archer. Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: I would love to see someone wear something I made for the most important day of their life, a wedding gown, a suit for their first interview, anything!  It would make me incredibly happy to know someone values and cherishes something I designed
	Designer Name: Seungki Cho Hometown:Seoul, Korea Major: Textiles and apparel Name of Collection: Winter Memories Favorite Designer: Balenciaga ,givenchy Favorite Austin Restaurant: Daito Cats or Dogs: Cats Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Having my own collection show in Paris.
	Designer Name:  Sandy Jungmin An Hometown:   Plano, TX Major:  Textiles and Apparel Name of Collection: Colorless Statements Favorite Designer:  Phillip Lim Favorite Austin Restaurant:  Ramen Tatsuya Cats or Dogs: Cats! Meow Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have:  I would like to be featured as one of the most sought out designer in the NYFW in ten years.
	Designer Name: Billie Green Hometown: San Antonio, TX Major: Textiles and Apparel Name of Collection: Femxle Favorite Designer: Iris Van Herpen Cats or Dogs: Dog Top Fashion Exerience You Would Like to Have: I would like to be an artist for the rest of my life, and if I can channel that via fashion, that will always be my top fashion experience.
	Designer Name: Lillie Noe Hometown: Dallas, TX Major: Apparel Design and Plan II Honors Name of Collection: Organic Machine Favorite Designer: Christian Dior Favorite Austin Restaurant: Uchi Cats or Dogs: Dogs! I have a Bichon Frise. Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Designing costumes for a movie!
	Designer Name: Mary Beth Newton Hometown: Austin, Tx Major: Sociology; Textiles & Apparel Design Name of Collection: Wanderers Favorite Designer: Rosie Assoulin Favorite Austin Restaurant: Pappadeaux’s Cats or Dogs: Catdog Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to have: CFDA award recipient with an invitation to collaborate with NASA for further astronaut spacesuit development.
	Designer Name: Tina Tran Hometown: Orange County, CA Major: Textiles and Apparel – Name of Collection: Eastward Favorite Designer: Alice Temperley Favorite Austin Restaurant: Ramen Tatsuya Cats or Dogs: A lot of both! Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Creating a signature fragrance for my own brand.
	Designer Name: Alyssa Reavis Hometown: Fredericksburg, TX Major: Apparel Design Name of Collection: M.O.D. Favorite Designer: Christian Dio Favorite Austin Restaurant: Anything Italian! Cats or Dogs: Dogs Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to HaveTo work for a top brand and get design tips from one of my favorite designers.
	Designer Name: Cheryl Lam Hometown: Sugar Land, TX Major: Apparel Design Name of Collection: Ceremonials Favorite Designer: Marchesa Favorite Austin Restaurant: Eastside Cafe Cats or Dogs: Dogs Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Would like to work/design for London Fashion Week.

Designer Name: Kara Lechtenberger Hometown: Houston,TX Major: Apparel Design Name of Collection: Caught up in Capri Favorite Designer: Elie Saab Favorite Austin Restaurant: Santa Ritas Cats or Dogs: Dogs Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: To intern for one of my dream companies

Designer Name: Andrea Fernandez Hometown: Managua, Nicaragua Major: Apparel Design Name of Collection: Riviera Favorite Designer: Dolce & Gabbana Favorite Austin Restaurant: St. Phillips Cats or Dogs: Dogs Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Work at the Costume Institute at the MET

	Designer Name:  Courtney Gilmore Hometown:  League City, TX Major:  Apparel Design Name of Collection:  Cracked Favorite Designer:  Ports 1961 Favorite Austin Restaurant:  Bangers – love their delicious poutine Cats or Dogs:  Definitely dogs Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have:  For me, the top experience would be to have a successful line of my own and have my designs worn by all types of women.
	Designer Name: Kat Wang Hometown: Cary, North Carolina Major: Apparel Design Collection name: Rebel without a Cause Favorite designer: Balmain Favorite austin restaurant: Trudy’s Cats/dogs: Cats Top fashion experience i would like to have: To have my own fashion show at New York Fashion Week
	Designer Name: Eun Ko Hometown: Austin, TX Name of Collection: Gifting Favorite Designer: Elie Saab Favorite Austin Restaurant: Arro Austin Cats or Dogs: Both Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: To be a creative director of a brand.
	Designer Name: Candace Ann McKinney Hometown:San Saba, TX Major:Textiles and Apparel – Design Name of Collection: Desert Bloom Favorite Designer: Alexander McQueen Favorite Austin Restaurant: Takoba Cats or Dogs: Both Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Seeing one of my gowns being worn on the red carpet.
	Designer Name: Seihak Long Hometown: Cambodia Major: Retail and Design Name of Collection: Golden Hour Favorite Designer: Oscar de la Renta Favorite Austin Restaurant: 888 Cats or Dogs: Dogs Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Time management.
	Designer Name: Dylan Batch Hometown: Odessa, TX Major: Apparel Design Name of Collection: Wakati Favorite Designer: Betsey Johnson Favorite Austin Restaurant: Trudy’s Cats or Dogs: Cats Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: Collaborate with a Indian designer for a famous Bollywood movie
	Designer Name: Tedi Infante Hometown: Dallas, TX Major: Textiles and Apparel Name of Collection: Havana Nights Favorite Designer: Diane von Furstenberg  Favorite Austin Restaurant: Maudie’s Tex Mex  Cats or Dogs: Dogs… English Bulldogs and Dachshunds  Top Fashion Experience You Would Like to Have: It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how, but my dream is to positively impact the fashion industry in the United States. If I were able to be a part of improving textile production and manufacturing here in America, that would be a gratifying experience.