The annual University of Texas Fashion Show is fast approaching (tomorrow) and while the twenty-nine senior design students put their final zippers, hems and trims on their creations, it’s time to get the know this rather large class of creatives.
The UT design lab
This year, “Dimension” will be held the Frank Erwin Center on April 26, 2018.
The annual show, organized by The University Fashion Group, will feature 140 original designs featuring garments inspired by abstract expressionism, exaggerated organic structures and circular fashion.
Senior designers are introduced to a sustainability challenge that creates one of a kind designs composed of donated articles of fast fashion clothing. TXA lecturer, Gail Chovan, describes this assignment as vital to the fashion industry. “There is a growing need to convert to a lasting or reusable status where we are not just regurgitating [styles],” said Chovan.
Tasked to create something entirely new out of pre-existing garments, ‘Dimension’ features cutting edge designs that include
digital prints, performance fabrics, and sustainability.
Tools of the trade
In honor of the University Co-op, a returning founding and title sponsor, the runway will feature game-day inspired garments in a segment titled The Forever Longhorn. Designers will gather inspiration from the UT Longhorn sports program and create a design that is both functional and comfortable while capturing the intrinsic nature of UT’s game day spirit.
The designers will be competing for lots of Texas fashion bragging rights as they hand out several awards, such as Most Wearable Collection and the coveted Best Collection.
The Immersed In Cotton display will open up the evening festivities at 5:30 pm, the in-house opening will start at 7 pm and the show will be broadcast LIVE on The Longhorn Network beginning at 7:30 pm. Congratulations to all the designers and we will see you at the end of the runway!
Best wishes seniors for a successful career!
Designer: Jessica Teran
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Major: TXA DESIGN
Name of Collection: SKYECRU
The inspiration for the Collection: THE 100
Best UT Fashion Memory: Nights in the lab with my favorite group of girls, and the dinners that follow or the spur of the moment let’s go downtown nights after working hard all day
Favorite Designer: Shaina Mote
Plans after Graduation: Two internships for social media marketing
Household chore I hate: Dishes!! I cook a lot so there’s unfortunately always something needing to be washed
Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Don’t rush yourself into figuring out what your niche is if you don’t know it yet. Be open to opportunities and different avenues, listen to your professors when they talk about all the different things they’ve done in the fashion industry, this can open doors for you that you weren’t expecting. Ask questions, don’t be afraid to network, and trust that at the end of this you’ll know what you’re true interests are and what you want to do!
Designer: Danielle Dowell
Hometown: Rowlett, TX
Major: Textile and Apparel Design
Name of Collection: Valor
The inspiration for the Collection: My inspiration for this collection was primarily the textures and lines found on mushrooms and tree bark and how you can find resemblances of soft, fluid motion on strong, natural shapes.
Best UT Fashion Memory: At least once a week, I and my two best friends in my design class would take a break during our sewing lab to get either coffee or a quick slice of pizza. Those times were great for collaboration or to just breathe for a hot sec before returning to sew some more.
Favorite Designer: Iris Van Herpen
Plans after Graduation: I will be interning with a luxury evening wear designer in New York this summer, and then in September I’m getting married!
Household chore I hate: Laundry – I have too many clothes for that.
Designer: Austyn Adkison
Hometown: Van, Texas Major: Textile and Apparel Design Name of Collection: Meraki The inspiration for the Collection: Nature Best UT Fashion Memory: When my Junior Design Challenge dress got to walk down the runway last year Favorite Designer: I love different aspects of every designer! Choosing one just isn’t fair Plans after Graduation: Hopefully get to work in a museum with historic garments Household chore I hate: Doing the dishes, eww
Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: You will make it! It will be hard, and there will be obstacles that you don’t think you can overcome, but as long as you keep pushing, you will be so rewarded with your finished products!
Designer: Ellie Wendland
Hometown: Dallas TX Major: Rhetoric Minor in Textiles and Apparel Design Name of Collection: Abstract Expressionism The inspiration for the Collection: The abstract expressionism art movement in the 1940-50s, particularly the works of Clyfford Still. Best UT Fashion Memory: Subsisting exclusively on Dr. Pepper and Snickers in the weeks leading up to the show. Favorite Designer: Currently Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte Plans after Graduation: Moving to New York! Household chore I hate: Loading the dishwasher Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Do not procrastinate if you value your sanity!
Designer: Martha Caballero
Hometown: Houston, TX
Apparel Design/ Pre-Physical TherapyTXA DESIGN
Name of Collection: Red in Rose
The inspiration for the Collection: A fusion between urbanism and luxurious wear with bold statements like a rose and the color red
Best UT Fashion Memory: Staying up all night working on our collections with my friends and listening to Disney Soundtracks
Favorite Designer: Sherri Hill
Plans after Graduation: Interning with Adidas for innovation in sports performance apparel.
Household chore: Washing plates, that reminds me….
Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Have fun and design things you think are beautiful but be aware that fashion is an art but also a business so deadlines and decisions have to be made and taken seriously, time management is everything so start early! Create the things you wish existed!
Designer: Alexandra Hill
Hometown: Austin, TX Major: Textiles & Apparel Design Name of Collection: “Chasms & Craters” The inspiration for the Collection: The recently renewed excitement in space exploration and the idea of humans getting to Mars. Best UT Fashion Memory: Seeing my work on the runway for the first time. Favorite Designer: Stephane Rolland Plans after Graduation: Intern in Austin for the summer and save up some money to move to New York in the fall. Household chore I hate: All of them, I am the messiest! Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Be patient with your learning – you won’t be able to construct a full evening gown after one year and that’s okay. Pay attention to detail as you go and you’ll get to where you need to be my senior year.
Designer: Alejandra Agostini
Hometown: Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico Major: Textiles & Apparel Design Name of Collection: Paradiso The inspiration for the Collection: Bird of Paradise flower Best UT Fashion Memory: Studying abroad and late nights in the lab working on my collection Favorite Designer: Georges Hobeika Plans after Graduation: Land a job in my field, apply to graduate programs. Household chore I hate: Cleaning the bathtub. Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Study abroad and embrace change!
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Designer: Jihyo Kim
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea Major: Textiles and Apparel, Fashion Design Name of Collection: J’ai Dans le Coeur The inspiration for the Collection: The rose from The Little Prince Best UT Fashion Memory: Receiving comments from others on my garments Favorite Designer: Pierpaolo Piccioli Plans after Graduation: Go into one of the couture brands as a designer Household chore I hate: everything Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Don’t take on too many other works while doing your senior fashion show!!
Designer: Lindsay Stewart
Hometown: Lockney, Texas Major: Apparel Design Name of Collection: OUR•SELF The inspiration for the Collection: The human body. Best UT Fashion Memory: Can’t think of a specific one, but becoming friends with those in my lab the past year has been really wonderful. I will fondly remember us joking around in the lab at 1 AM and getting margaritas after a big deadline. Favorite Designer: I don’t have just one, a few would be Balmain, Zac Posen, Stella McCartney. Plans after Graduation: I’m taking a design internship in San Francisco with Amour Vert, a sustainable womenswear brand. Household chore I hate: Sweeping. I have to deep sweep my room once a week so that I can gather up all the pins I drop. My room is my second sewing lab. Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Look at this experience as an opportunity to explore your creativity and grow – don’t put too much pressure on the outcome of individual projects; it’s about developing your skills over time and figuring out what you like to do. The design is often subjective, so YOU have to be proud of what you do and you have to be confident!!
Designer: Hannah Wilmeth
Hometown: Lubbock, Texas Major: Textiles & Apparel Design Name of Collection: Metamorphoo The inspiration for the Collection: My inspiration for this collection was the monarch butterfly. Best UT Fashion Memory: My best memories of being in the UT fashion program are the late night bonding sessions we get to have when we are all on deadline trying to finish up a project last minute. I love getting to work alongside such amazing students & designers. Favorite Designer: I don’t really have a favorite designer, but I am interested in any designer or company that is focusing on sustainability Plans after Graduation: I hope to work in the nonprofit field doing events & fundraising Household chore I hate: Taking out the trash Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: Believe in yourself and you will go far!
Designer: Melina Perez
Hometown: Mission, TX Major: Textiles & Apparel Name of Collection: Collection name: Bendición The inspiration for the Collection Italian Renaissance, churches in Italy Best UT Fashion Memory All those late nights in the lab with my fellow designers Favorite designer: Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino Plans after graduation: I’m not sure about this one yet! I’ve just been focusing on the fashion show. Maybe New York for a while? Household chore I hate: Laundry Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: All those sleepless nights will be worth it. Stay true to yourself and your aesthetic and your success will come!
Designer: Rebekah Heidel
Hometown: Rusk TX Major: Textiles and apparel design Name of Collection: la Vie de rose The inspiration for the Collection: Pop-culture icons and their influence on the political scene, with emphasis on iconic women of color: Halsey, Rihanna, Zendaya, Beyoncé, etc. I named and accented with roses because they represent love, sensuality, and above all, sacrifice. La Vie de rose is French for the life of the rose; I believe women can be whatever they want however they want. Thorny or soft, prickly or beautiful, there’s no wrong way to be a rose just like there’s no wrong way to be a woman. Best UT Fashion Memory: Late nights at the lab ordering pizza and drinking lots of coffee. Favorite Designer: Alexander McQueen Plans after Graduation: I’ll take any job in the fashion industry, but I’m least inclined to sewing/construction. It’s not my strong suit. Household chore I hate: Ironically, laundry. Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: don’t let the process intimidate you; it’s all about the end goal. Also, the individual pieces you create do not have to be the epitome of who you are as a designer. Multifaceted individuals beget many different, beautiful things. Even if just one small piece of who you are is in a design, that’s enough to make it authentically you. Authenticity is one of the most important things in a design.
Designer: Evelyn Brady
Hometown: Houston, TX Major: Textiles and Apparel Design Name of Collection: Seraphim The inspiration for the Collection: Angels Best UT Fashion Memory: Making my first evening gown for myself in apparel 2 and wearing it to a formal and feeling like the most beautiful girl in the world. Favorite Designer: Zuhair Murad Plans after Graduation: Work in costume for superhero films Household chore I hate: taking out the trash, yuck! Advice for an incoming UT Freshman Design Student: don’t wait until the last second to finish your garments, or you will never make something you have put your full effort into, and you will never truly be proud of it. Also, just because you spent a long time making a mistake, does not mean you have to keep making it. If something is just bad, start over, and use what you learned from your mistakes to make it better.