Detroit, MI, May 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday, May 4, 2024, The College for Creative Studies (CCS) presented its fourth iteration of The Show, a runway show featuring collections from 23 students enrolled in the Fashion Design program.
With over 200 attendees, notable guests include Natelle Baddeley, Caleres; Alvise Bullo, Bottega Veneta; Kristen Bateman, Vogue, W Magazine; Diana Costescu, Tapestry; Ben Ewy, Carhartt; Jen Guarino, ISAIC; Simion and Natalie Kayiwa, Hermès; Olya Kuryshchuk, 1 Granary; Barbara May, B.May Bags; Mallory Motoulle, Select Models; Filep Motwary, Vogue Greece; Ann-Marie Mountford, Caleres; Baron Osuna, Louis Vuitton; Tracy Reese, Hope for Flowers by Tracy Reese; Youwie Roes, Eyes on Talents; Janelle Sessoms, Fashionista; Antoinette Strickland, Tapestry; Tori Soudan, Tori Soudan Designs; Gretchen, Mark, and Molly Valade, Carhartt; Millie De La Valette, Louis Vuitton; Calvin Wilson, Establishment New York.
The Show featured capsule collections from senior students Gabriel Armelin, Clay Barckholtz, Miles Barron, Ana Bosnjakovski, Andreas Caballero, Cierra Headings, Defne Kanberoglu, Avis Kerns, David Rodriguez, Maureen Rossman, Mamie Scholl, and Jannah Turner, as well as sophomore students Izzy Abohasira, Mar Bissada, Max Honeycutt, Falina Jimerson, Ryan Putnam, Veronica Wardowski and Emma Wisler. Guest designers included Bella Taylor, Interdisciplinary Art and Design student; Sarah Tombelli, Entertainment Arts student; international student Edgar Saribekyan; and freshman Fashion Design student Quade Feller.
“I am continuously inspired by how students each year bring their design concepts to fruition,” said Aki Choklat, Linda Dresner Endowed Chair in Fashion Design. “At CCS, we are grateful to have the opportunity to equip students with the education and resources they need to build such unique concepts and showcase them to a global audience at such a pivotal moment in their development.”
Drawing from concepts as simple as water, sleep and fruit to as abstract as spontaneous acts of nature and liminal spaces, each students’ collection is inspired by their unique life experiences and motivations behind their work.
The College for Creative Studies Fashion Accessories Design program, heralded as the largest and most equipped fashion accessory design department in the United States, was established in 2015 under the leadership of renowned footwear designer Aki Choklat.
The program, up until 2022, has focused on fashion accessories design such as footwear, handbags, and small leather goods. With the addition of Antwerp designer Rey Pador as an associate professor and full-time faculty member of the College’s fashion department, CCS has been able to fully expand its curriculum to include apparel design. This show marks the first that will fully integrate accessories and apparel design.
THE SHOW 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
Running at Full Speed Without A Dent Factory Shine
A capsule collection designed by senior student Clay Barckholtz, Running at Full Speed Without A Dent Factory Shine encapsulates Detroit’s ecosystem as The Motor City. The center of this collection draws inspiration from car crashes, juxtaposing perfection vs spontaneity. The relationship between mechanically engineered designs and spontaneous acts of nature shines through Barckholtz’s design process, incorporating vinyl, chrome and patent leather into the collection. Nods to automotive accidents are apparent throughout the collection, with reflective materials giving a “deer in headlights” effect, and many garments and accessories appearing to look crushed or dented.
Shifted Lines
Senior student Mamie Scholl’s capsule collection Shifted Lines is a reflective collection questioning whether or not women need to sacrifice style for function; and the answer is no. During World War II, the dramatic shift of dynamics between women and the workforce inspired Scholl’s direction to examine female welders, machinists, riveters, pilots and more. While on the job, women wore men’s uniforms due to the lack of or complete absence of women’s involvement in these respective industries. There was a need for practicality within their wardrobe, and Shifted Lines meets this demand. Contemporaneously, Scholl approaches design from the perspective of offering women accessories that enhance the relationship between their femininity and their aspirations without compromising aesthetics.
Is His Name Billy?
Senior student David Rodriguez’s capsule collection began with his self-exploration of his approach to love and romance in relationships. Primarily focused on womenswear until his senior year, Is His Name Billy? has proven to be a deeply personal collection for Rodriguez. Inspired by the photography book by Swiss artist Karlheinz Weinberger “Swiss Rebels,” nods to American heartthrobs of the mid-20th century are clear in Rodriguez’s design choices. A collection based around actors and musicians from the 1950s and '60s would feel incomplete without a bit of the Wild West, which Rodriguez leans into through the silhouettes, incorporating tassels and sheer cutouts. Rooted in our innate desire to be wanted, hunted and sexually desired, his collection is a fresh approach to the western craze of the fashion world.
I Miss My Own Backyard
Sophomore student Ryan Putnam’s capsule collection plays into Midwest 1980s nostalgia. Putnam’s designs follow the story of a traveling Midwesterner without a suitcase, attempting to carry their entire wardrobe on their back. Mixing handmade garments with upcycled materials, Putnam melds garments together, evoking the all-too-familiar feeling of bundling up layer upon layer during the frigid winter months. Bright yellow felted garments stand out against the primarily neutral tones of the collection, editorializing the typical Midwesterner’s attire.
NEXUS
Sophomore student Mar Bissada’s capsule collection explores the concept of immortality. For this collection, Bissada was particularly drawn to cryonics, a Greek term referring to the low temperature freezing and storage of human remains in hopes of future resurrection. Bissada’s first three looks in the collection are in reference to doctors, with nods to the dark, ominous nature of medical experts’ wardrobes throughout history. The final look represents a young girl brought back to life. Bissada’s combination of dark, slippery and smooth materials mimics a sinister, sterile medical working environment.
TOWANDA
TOWANDA pays homage to women in motorcycle clubs during the 1960s. Sophomore student Veronica Wardowski shifts the standard focus of men in these clubs to women, honoring them for their significant contributions that often went unrecognized. A collection intended to center strength and empowerment within women, Wardowski’s carefully sculpted garments mimic bulging muscles in the arms and legs. Viewers can easily see her interpretation of motorcycle culture with the use of leather, incorporating silhouettes of traditional garments worn by bikers, with belts, pouches and silver hardware as adornments.
ABOUT THE COLLEGE FOR CREATIVE STUDIES
The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a nonprofit, private college authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. CCS, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. CCS fosters students’ resolve to pursue excellence, act ethically, engage their responsibilities as citizens, and learn throughout their lives. With world-class faculty and unsurpassed facilities, students learn to be visual communicators who actively use art and design toward the betterment of society. The College is a major supplier of talent to numerous industries, such as transportation, film and animation, advertising and communications, consumer electronics, athletic apparel, and many more. Its graduates are exhibiting artists and teachers, design problem solvers and innovators, as well as creative leaders in business.
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