KENT, Ohio – Forty-one aspiring fashion designers will show 161 looks at the Kent State School of Fashion’s Annual Fashion Show this weekend. The show happens three times — April 24, 25 and 26 — in Crawford Hall on the Kent campus. It is the highlight of the design school’s Fashion Week. Crawford Hall is at Crawford Hall, 100 Midway Drive, Kent.
While the first night is for students, tickets are available to the public for the Awards Night Fashion Show at 7 p.m., Friday, April 25, and the Fashion Show and Hall of Fame Gala at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26.
“I am continually inspired by the talent and artistry our students bring to the runway,” said Mourad Krifa, Ph.D., director of the Kent State School of Fashion. “The Annual Fashion Show is not just a showcase — it’s a celebration of their dedication, creativity and contribution to the future of fashion.”
Caroline Hill, a senior fashion design student, has a seven-look menswear collection in the show. She has spent the last year and a half creating this for her senior thesis as she prepares for a career in New York City.
“Conceptually it is inspired by the idea of identity searching and anonymity,” Hill explained. “What does human connection look like if we wiped our identity clean and could hide behind a barrier while we explored who we are?”
“Much of the collection features face obstructions or headwear that blurs the wearer’s most recognizable features as well as a trompe l’oeil print detail using my mockup garments to explore texture and stamping techniques,” she said.
She was inspired by the “infiltration of fine tailoring into rock and roll, especially in the late 60s and early 70s with musicians like David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards reinventing ‘dad’s old suit.’”
In the nearly two-year creation process, Hill said it was important to stay focused throughout steps that included conceptual design and research, sketching, pattern making, mockup construction, collection critique, reworking, final construction, industry critique, and ultimately being selected to display the collection at the show
“One of the biggest challenges of the process has been trusting my artistic instinct,” she said.
Hill’s garments, like those of the other 40 designers, were selected by a panel of industry critics and jurors. The audience will see collections and garments that span all categories of fashion and include evening wear, market ready, universal design and more.
The Annual Fashion Show is led by senior co-producers Amelia Gardner and Brett Ashley Richter. The student-run production includes students who serve on committees in design, merchandising, modeling, public relations and stage management.
Multiple awards will be given to students for collections and single-submission garments.
The School of Fashion will induct footwear designer Donald J Pliner into the its Hall of Fame. Previous inductees include Dame Zandra Rhodes, Omar Salam, Kenneth Cole, Estee Lauder, Oscar de la Renta, Dana Buchman, Leonardo Ferragamo and Josie Natori.
Among the many fashion week events is a Fashion Marketplace across campus. Learn more about Fashion Week events.
RELATED: Future of fashion: Kent State Museum’s role in shaping next-generation designers
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