Emma Baxendell Fashion Institute of Technology
Graduates share what it took to complete senior thesis collections during a pandemic.
Due to the pandemic, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) announced its annual runway show, Futurity of Fashion, featuring looks past Fashion Design BFA graduates, volition alternatively be bachelor in a virtual gallery format.
"The beautiful garments created this year, many of which were completed in childhood homes across the globe, stand for the ingenuity and tenacity of this boggling class," says Sandra Markus, FIT fashion chair. "On overcoming the challenges presented during the terminal semester, we applaud their resilience and optimism during these unprecedented times."
Each designer'southward senior thesis was judged by a panel of FIT alumni, including Danielle Bernstein, Ken Downing, Processed Pratts Price, Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Robert Verdi. Prior to the pandemic, students too benefitted from mentoring tailored to their specialization. Molly Gambler, boys' designer for Ralph Lauren, was the esteemed designer offering feedback to childrenswear students.
To aid shed light on this twelvemonth's local rising talent, Earnshaw's spoke with three 2020 graduates, specializing in kidswear, to learn more than about their senior thesis collections, the challenges brought on past Covid-19 and their views on the hereafter of the industry.
Ashley Olivo
What inspired your drove? My "Starsailors" thesis drove was inspired by my fascination with outer space. Outer space offers so much inspiration that, creatively speaking, the possibilities seem endless—much like space itself. I chose to focus my designs on our human ability to travel to outer space with the help of technology. "Starsailors" was fatigued straight from spacesuits and space shuttles.
How would you depict your personal design aesthetic? Information technology took me a while being a pupil at FIT to discover my specific aesthetic every bit a designer. Ultimately, I realized I'm a designer of sporty streetwear and athleisure. I besides endeavor to design with sustainability in mind. One small footstep can make all the deviation in this world.
How did the pandemic affect your blueprint process? The pandemic forced me out of New York and back to my home state of Connecticut in the midst of completing my senior thesis. The day I realized I had to leave, I packed 1 luggage with my sewing machines, 2 bags with supplies and a bag with personal items. I told myself this was going to get done no thing what. The hardest part for me was only staying motivated through all of the massive stress and uncertainty. What helped me overcome this time, when motivation was minimal, was knowing I was near to graduate and attain my childhood dream. I too reminded myself of the great opportunities that could come up of this senior thesis projection. In the end, the greatest motivator was that I wanted to meet my pattern come up to life, and only I could make information technology happen.
Why children'south mode? My conclusion to go into children's apparel really happened as an epiphany! At FIT, the first two years are concentrated in women's apparel, and it just was not lighting my fire. For a very long fourth dimension, I've had family and friends asking me to make their children'south costumes and dresses for special occasions. 1 day this all came together, and I felt that flame of excitement. I plant my passion in childrenswear, falling in honey with its freedom of design, expression and vast utilise of color and fun details.
What kids' labels do yous adore? Burt's Bee'south Infant for their values in sustainability. They use globe-friendly materials, as well as 100 percent organic cotton fiber, and donate to different organizations and causes. I likewise savor Kith Kids, Rockets of Crawly and Mini Rodini, for all of their individual aesthetics.
How practise you lot come across our industry evolving over the side by side 5 years? I think children's manner will evolve into beingness more sporty/active-focused, similar to what nosotros're seeing throughout women's fashion. Everyone wants to be comfortable, especially highly agile children who are ever running, playing and engaging in activities that crave liberty of movement. I call up nosotros're going to see a strong influence of comfort coming together fashion in the earth of children's apparel.
What's your dream job? Running my own successful brand, whether it be in boutiques or popular online/brick-and-mortar shops. I just want to be able to create freely and bring those ideas to life for the world to admire and wear.
Courtney Rivera
What inspired your drove? When I was designing my thesis collection, my 'muse' was Coco 3000, a graphic symbol I created. She's an astrobot (a robot who besides happens to be an astronaut) from the Andromeda Galaxy (or M31, for brusque). This idea came from thinking about how we are not only polluting the Earth, but besides our solar system. The 1960s were also a major focal point of my thesis collection with silhouettes inspired by the era, the infinite race and Andy Warhol's pop fine art commentary. I hope my 'Space Junk' collection inspires the next generation to be more sustainable with their choices.
How would you describe your personal design aesthetic? I dearest to design habiliment that is fun, quirky and colorful. Graphics are always my primary focus. I often showtime by envisioning them first before I even call back about silhouettes.
How did the pandemic touch on your design procedure?
Surprisingly, being back in my hometown of Virginia Beach with my parents and my dog actually made completing my thesis collec
tion less stressful and cluttered. I saved a lot of time with my classes being moved online. Traveling back and along to school and stores for supplies really adds upward. With that eliminated, I had more time to focus and complete my thesis a week earlier the deadline. I'thou grateful I was able to purchase all of my fabric and supplies before New York went into lockdown. And, thankfully, I was likewise able to get my embroidery/applique work done at FIT'south Faculty Inquiry Space the day earlier the school closed all student services. I honestly didn't confront whatever challenges when I remember about information technology. I have a sewing auto, surger and iron at home, so I didn't need whatsoever equipment from the labs at school. I was very lucky.
Why did you lot choose children's fashion as your concentration?I take a difficult fourth dimension designing garments that aren't playful. I recollect my first 2 years at FIT were very challenging because I felt like I couldn't express myself fully when studying and designing women'due south wear. My least favorite garment I ever had to design was a fluted bodice (that would theoretically be used in a wedding dress). With that being said, I dearest childrenswear because I tin truly design from my heart.
What are some children's clothing labels y'all admire? My acme 3 favorite labels are Stella McCartney Kids, Hugo Loves Tiki and Wauw Capow by BangBang Copenhagen. I feel like I tin chronicle to them the most because, like me, graphic pattern is a major focal bespeak for these companies.
What will children's way look like in v years? I believe children's mode will get more gender-fluid and sustainable over the next five years. Parents of the new generation are more accepting of their child's way choices than ever before. As a club, nosotros are also condign more than conscious of the clothing we purchase, and we are asking ourselves questions like 'who made this garment?' and 'how long will it have for this garment to decompose?' Hopefully, we tin shift toward prophylactic working weather condition, better pay for all garment workers and the abolishment of fast fashion.
What's your dream job? My dream chore has always been to design at Kate Spade New York. I know the visitor's vision has changed a bit since the new addition of Nicola Glass as the brand's creative director. Unfortunately, they currently do not have a childrenswear line. However, the world is always changing, and I hope they will reconsider adding one.
Emma Baxendell
What inspired your collection? My thesis collection is called Sweets Shop drove, which is all most the sweet, colorful treats kids beloved. I focused on the inspiration of cupcakes and sprinkles, and I actually wanted to incorporate those elements into my garments literally, which is why I chose the big cupcake bib for the overall brim and the faux sprinkles in the raincoat.
How would you describe your personal design artful? My personal design aesthetic is very bright and fun, and I like to brand my collections very thematic. I toe the line betwixt high fashion, and functional, accessible garments that kids will actually want to vesture day-to-mean solar day. My aesthetic is based on the kind of clothing I would have loved to wear as a child and would even habiliment now.
What were some design challenges brought on past the pandemic? The pandemic was definitely challenging to my design procedure in a couple different ways. I went from having all the space and resource I needed at school, to having to work on my abode sewing auto in my cramped apartment. In that location were actually a couple elements in my thesis garments that had to be inverse due to lack of resources, such as mitt-embroidering the sprinkles onto the cupcake bib and leggings instead of using the school's embroidery machine. It was also really challenging just to discover the motivation to piece of work on my look some days when I was being constantly bombarded with bad news about the state of the world, but in the cease, I knew I had come so far already, and I wanted to finish strong with something I was really proud to take created.
Why did you concentrate on children'due south fashion? When I outset started my degree, I had no intention of ever going into childrenswear, only equally I progressed in my fashion design curriculum and solidified my design aesthetic, it was articulate to me that childrenswear was the correct path for me. My artful has always leaned younger and more than thematic, and I even had professors in my womenswear classes tell me that my designs were as well juvenile for the women'southward market. I chose childrenswear considering I had already built upward that womenswear foundation during my first two years at FIT, and I was eager to take a take a chance and learn something totally new. In the end, I couldn't be happier with my choice, and I really feel that my education in childrenswear helped me find my voice every bit a designer and solidify my aesthetic.
What are some children'due south wear labels yous admire? My absolute favorite children'south brand is a Danish brand called Wauw Capow past BangBang Copenhagen. I really found them accidentally while doing market place research during my first childrenswear semester, and I've loved them ever since. Their clothes are very funky and fun, and they use a lot of cool trims and textural elements that give their garments a ton of personality. I'grand as well a large fan of Target's various lines, like True cat & Jack and Art Class, because they find ways to make everyday habiliment just a little more than fun and exciting. One of my favorite children's collections ever was the collaboration betwixt Fine art Class and Museum of Ice Cream. I am besides so excited Gymboree is existence revived past The Children's Identify. Their collections are always super thematic, and I love seeing the mode they interpret simple ideas into unabridged lines, from article of clothing all the way down to shoes and accessories.
How exercise you see children's fashion trends evolving over the next five years? I think that children's fashion trends are progressing to become more fun and more about what kids actually want to be wearing. Textural features like flip sequins and character licensing have been so huge in childrenswear, and I remember the market will continue to cater to what kids find fun and exciting.
What's your dream job? My dream job is to work as a designer for a big childrenswear company because I desire my designs to be accessible to a wide audition. I feel that my artful is very fun and fashionable, but can also exist translated into something more than marketable on a broader scale.
What do you love nigh almost existence a designer? I love being a designer considering I similar knowing that I can accept an touch on people's lives. Y'all always hear the idea that fine art isn't a career or you won't be able to make a living out of it, only the truth is that everything in our lives was designed by someone. Clothing designers specially are so important because clothing is always going to be something we need, and I love that that can have so many forms, from haute couture fashion all the style down to our everyday ordinary outfits. Whether they consciously choose it or not, people will always be affected by manner, and I honey knowing I can give people even more options by putting my ideas and designs out there.
Looking to expand your design team? Get in affect with FIT's graduating talent! Email Emily.Beckman@9Threads.com for an introduction.
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