WashU's 94th Annual Fashion Design Show 2023

April 22, 2023

Fashion Design at the Sam Fox School

The Sam Fox School’s fashion design program offers a multifaceted course of study focused on the intersection of clothing and culture. Moving through a curriculum that begins with a foundational understanding of textiles, design, fashion history, research, and culture, students take on projects exploring a spectrum of garment design challenges, fabrication strategies, and visualization options. By thinking in abstract, visual, and futuristic ways, students shape the changing fashion landscape with relevancy and purpose.

6:30 p.m. Doors open

7:00 p.m. Show

Holmes Lounge, Ridgley Hall

8:45 p.m. Designer meet and greet

Kuehner Court, Weil Hall

ORDER OF SHOW

Leather Accessory Design and Creative Thinking

Belts, buckles, and bags

Textile Design Class

Hand-dyed silk sleepwear

Textile Design Class

Digital prints and laser cut casual looks

This year’s show highlights our program’s continued dedication to fashion for good with methods that preserve our planet for future generations. Our students engage with new technology and sustainable practices while working creatively to communicate their vision for utilizing fashion as a positive force. Today’s lineup includes garments designed and produced in a range of preparatory classes culminating in the BFA Senior Capstone.

Patternmaking and Production Class

Shirt and pant looks

3D Fashion Design Fundamentals Class

Coats

Advanced Patternmaking and Production

Gala gowns

BFA in Fashion Design Capstone Collections

Zinaida Calixte: Cut-edge

Olivia Terase Baba: Lady Like

Madelyn Savitch: Lilith

Mackenzie-Mary Miller Llewellyn: Moments

Connor Seger: Spiritual Erosion

2023 BFA in Fashion Design Graduating Class

This show reveals the capstone fashion design collections by BFA seniors at Washington University in St. Louis. Each of these students has developed a clothing line that shows a specific visual vocabulary and design aesthetic, conceptually grounded and created through a rigorous process of research, material development, ideation, prototyping, and final realization. This process has spanned nine months and involved extensive engagement with faculty, industry professionals, alumni, and staff.

Clockwise from top right: Connor Seger, MackenzieMary Miller Llewellyn, Olivia Terase Baba, Zinaida Calixte, Madelyn Savitch

Editorial photography by Patrick Lanham

ZINAIDA CALIXTE

Zinaida Calixte’s opposing identities have manifested in her designs through a fixation on juxtaposition. She finds inspiration in pairing complementary colors, mixing contrasting prints, utilizing opposing textures, and fusing contradictory genres. The intention of her work begins as a momentary desire to create and embraces the simplicity of beauty for beauty’s sake.

CUT-EDGE

In 1736 mathematician Leonhard Euler examined the KÖnigsberg Bridge Problem, which is now regarded as being the origin of graph theory as a field of mathematical study. In graph theory, edges create connections between vertices and a path is a collection of edges. A connected graph is one where a path exists between any two vertices. An edge is called a cut-edge if deleting makes a connected graph disconnected.

The Cut-edge collection embodies such connectivity; the hand knit pieces form a connection where the removal of one stitch would unravel the garment. Cut-edge is the bridge between the vertices of streetwear and lingerie, denim and chiffon, animal prints and florals. Juxtaposition is critical to my identity as a designer. I am the bridge that connects seemingly disparate entities such as math and fashion.

Cut-edge looks for cohesion within juxtaposition.

OLIVIA TERASE BABA

Olivia Baba is inspired by the universality and interdisciplinary nature of fashion. From sewing doll clothes at age seven to later researching the chemistry of natural dyes, Baba recognizes fashion’s role at the intersection of math, science, art, commerciality, modernity, and history, making it a vehicle to innovate and promote inclusivity and sustainability.

LADY LIKE

Lady Like seeks to recontextualize female shame by exposing the challenges of the female experience and empowering women as they find strength. Unconventional and attractive elements meld to create elegant, refined looks that describe both the pain and pleasure of being a woman.

Damaged nerves are evoked through texture and radiating lines, images of pain, and eroding skin. The asymmetry and restrictive silhouettes reference the isolation, powerlessness, and confusion associated with chronic pain, health issues, and the female experience. Dyed fabric, felt, pleats, and gathers are strategically placed across the body to turn the unusual, often overlooked body parts into focal points. These techniques converge with light, feminine silhouettes and materials to exemplify beauty despite the pain.

MADELYN SAVITCH

Madelyn Savitch defies convention with a forceful, subversive design perspective. Her creative and ethical consciousness push boundaries through sustainability, size-inclusivity, and traditional notions of gender. She believes fashion is a powerful vehicle of expression—a medium to freely reflect the self while encouraging confidence.

LILITH

In the process of metamorphosis, Lilith is the butterfly, the final form. It is the outcome of an evolution, an amalgam of the past, present, and future wherein constraints and expectations are shed in an act of defiance.

Lilith abandons binary thinking by merging Victorian references with a rock and roll aesthetic and reimagining traditional gender roles. Corseted bodices and hoop skirt–inspired silhouettes shift traditional concepts of restriction. Juxtaposing details and materials challenge the norm through a synergetic dissonance such as upcycled, laser-cut leather with vintage lace. Enhancing the changes that come from physical and mental transformation, intentional silhouettes and adjustability contribute to the wearer's confidence.

Lilith offers the feeling of immense power that comes with actively challenging the norm, being conscious of your surroundings, and resisting traditional ways of expressing the self.

MACKENZIE-MARY MILLER LLEWELLYN

At eight years old, Mackenzie Llewellyn’s grandmother taught her the intricate art of quilting, cultivating within her a profound appreciation for meticulous attention to detail and intricate craftsmanship. Llewellyn aspires to bring the same exacting focus and unifying sensibility to feminine and structural gowns, evoking a sense of nostalgia and romance for the modern bride.

MOMENTS

Stable structures. Exquisite details. Longevity. Mirroring Victorian architecture, today's successful couples build their relationships on a sturdy foundation; the beauty lies in the small details. Marriage is made of infinite micro-interactions, adding beauty to seemingly meaningless aspects of life.

Each wedding set in Moments has a distinctive, feminine elegance. The details reveal inspiration from Victorian architecture: arched design lines, half-circle motifs that mimic entranceways and windows, asymmetry from the common façade. Smocking reiterates a roof's shingles and latticework, while the sunburst motif is reflected in pleats, circular yo-yos, and pin tucks. The wedding sets in Moments represent the minute details of a loving relationship, much like a well-caredfor house represents protection and stability while highlighting moments of immense joy.

CONNOR SEGER

Inspired by the beauty of the unnerving, Connor Seger designs immersive fashion experiences. These environments connote the visceral experiences of viewing discomfort embedded onto the human form. Through experimentation with textile manipulation and texture, Seger creates narratives which link grotesque realities of our world to the tactile nature of garmentry.

SPIRITUAL EROSION

Spiritual Erosion performs a cautionary tale of Earthy figureheads as they continue to poison the sacred in the name of power. In this body of work, the merging of political and religious landscapes are actualized. The degradation of the divine is visualized through the burning and staining of fine silks and wool. Slowly the spiritual and the physical are consumed, as thick sludge emerges from the folds of the garment, weeping black grime and soiling the fabric. By harnessing the power of spirituality, institutions erode spirituality’s virtuosic guiding mantras for life, the prophetic potential of religion, and in turn pollute one’s own spirit.

MENTORS

The BFA Senior Capstone development process was mentored by talented and gracious industry professionals. The student designers not only conceptualize and visually communicate their collections, but also refine their presentation and oral communication skills during these mentoring sessions.

In addition to the following mentors, student work was evaluated by fashion industry professionals Felicia Podberesky, Womenswear Designer and Visual Artist; Claire ThomasMorgan, Designer, Vivi Design Studio; Laura Sawyier, Founder and Stylist, LKS Consulting; Emily Lane, Chief Strategy Officer at Stars Design Group; Gabriel Asfour, Founder and Designer, ThreeASFOUR; and Susan Barrett, Owner, Barrett Barrera Projects.

Keith Lissner

Executive Vice President, Design

Vera Wang

Jason Ross

Founder and Creative Director

Artemas Quibble

Wallace Herndon Smith

Distinguished Visiting Faculty | Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Bret Schnitker

Founder and CEO

Stars Design Group

Rony Patzán

Buyer—American Designer & Evening Collections

Saks Fifth Avenue

Jillian Shatken, BFA ’07

Owner and Creative Director Saylor

Paula Varsalona, BFA ’71

Owner, Founder, and Designer

Paula Varsalona NYC

AWARDS

The Fashion Citizenship Award

This award is presented to an outstanding sophomore student who demonstrates civic and community engagement.

The Silver Ripper Award

Sponsored by alumna Susan Sanders Block, this award is presented to the sophomore or junior fashion design student who has demonstrated the most growth. The

Riverbend Textiles Sustainable Design Leadership Award

This award is presented to the student who has demonstrated exceptional thought and practice toward sustainable fashion design.

Future Talent in Bridal and Special Occasion Wear Award

This award is sponsored by alumna Paula Varsalona and the International Bridal Manufacturers Association. Varsalona has facilitated the opportunity to encourage WashU students who are passionate about special occasion and bridal wear.

The Dominic Michael Silver Scissors Designer of the Year Award

Sponsored by the Dominic Michael Salon for more than two decades, the award is presented to the senior fashion design student who has shown compelling creativity and exceptional skill in fashion design conception and execution.

The Saks Fifth Avenue Honorary Designer Award

Now in its eleventh year, the award is presented to the senior fashion design student whose collection is deemed most marketable.

The Stars Design Group Award

This award recognizes the student with high business potential by awarding mentorship, seed money, and studio space in the Couture Culture incubator.

MASTERS AT GROOMING AND DEVELOPING SUPERMODELS

TOP MOTHER AGENT IN USA

BUILDING ON THREE DECADES IN THE MODELING INDUSTRY

LEGENDARY MODEL SCOUTS

FEATURED IN

My life has been to helping women of all ages what makes them rediscover seek and find, embark on the adventure of becoming who you were meant to be.

dedicated discover gifted & valuable.

Your responsibility to YOU, is to to those things you loved as a girl, pick them back up and

Mary Clarke, founder of Seek Find You

SPECIAL THANKS

It is with sincere gratitude that we thank all of the sponsors, volunteers, and supporters—especially family and friends—for this year’s Fashion Design Show. Your dedication is deeply appreciated.

Administration

Chancellor Andrew D. Martin

Beverly R. Wendland, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Carmon Colangelo, Ralph J. Nagel Dean, Sam Fox School

Amy Hauft, Director, College & Graduate School of Art, Sam Fox School

Emily Hellmuth,* Director of Communications, Sam Fox School

Sarah Sligo, Senior Director of Advancement, Sam Fox School

Aggie Toppins, Chair, Undergraduate Design, Sam Fox School

Bobbe Winters, Associate Dean for Finance, Sam Fox School

2022-2023 Fashion Design Faculty

Laura Desch,* Lecturer

Jennifer Ingram,* Senior Lecturer

Jon Navy, Senior Lecturer

Mary Ruppert-Stroescu, PhD, Associate Professor; Fashion Design Area Coordinator

Claire Thomas-Morgan,* Senior Lecturer

Jason Ross, Wallace Herndon

Smith Distinguished Visiting Faculty

Guest Speakers, Critics, and Hosts

Kristen Barnes, Designer, Evolution St. Louis

Raelyn Browning,* Design and Production Manager, Mestiza, NYC

Daniel Chancellor, Founder, So iLL

Natasha Chekoudjian, Design Director, New York Capsule at Free People

Alyssa Dolts, Brook Hudson, and Brianna Anderson, Omaha Fashion Week

Ali Landorf, Founder, Designer, Ali Landorf Prints

Adam Love, Sales Manager, Hermann Oak Leather

Gabi Marcus,* Merchandising and Store Operations, Summersalt

Kristin Morse,* Founder, Morsekode Design & Illustration

Todd Salzman, General Manager, Hermann Oak Leather

Sherwin Williams

Alice Sydow, Stylist

Autumn Tyler, Designer, Kepola Design House

Weaver Leather, LLC

Caitlyn Williams, Head of Product Development, The Collective Thread

Anouk Wipprecht, FashionTech designer

Diane von Furstenberg, Owner and Fashion Designer, Diane von Furstenberg Studio L.P.

John Yucesoy,* Director of Business Operations, MadHappy

Collaborators

Joan Berkman, President, Face-Watchers Public Relations

Dwight Carter, CEO, Brainchild Events

Jessica Erickson, Assistant to the Director, College & Graduate School of Art, Sam Fox School

Meg Geiger, Assistant Director of Corporate Relations, Washington University

TJ Ingrassia, Videographer

Iron Man Sound Industries

Patrick Lanham, Photographer

Kristen Phommaly, CEO, Factry Productions

Joe Kurowski, Chef-Owner of Pizzeria da Gloria

Premier Party Rental

Danny Reise, Photographer

Indra Russell, Campus Life Event Management, Washington University

Sophie Roig

Susan Sherman, Executive Director, Saint Louis Fashion Fund

Audrey Westcott,* Senior Graphic Designer, Sam Fox School

Charmayne Wilson, Factry Productions

Livia Xandersmith,* Undergraduate Programs Coordinator, Sam Fox School Sponsors

Caleres

Tacony Corporation

Mother Model Management

Lux & Nyx

Supporters

Dominic Bertani, Dominic

Michael Salon | Twenty-Seven Years of Contribution

Susan Sanders Block, The Designing Block | TwentyNine Years of Contribution

Fashion Group International

St. Louis

Hermann Oak Leather

* WashU alumni

samfoxschool.wustl.edu

@wustlfashion @samfoxschool