MassArt Fashion Design Showcase 2020
AWAKENING
“The rebirth of our culture.”
Julia Harrington
“How we’ll see differently, design differently.”
Megan Hood
“Focusing on the journey.”
Christina Liotti
FASHION DESIGN BFA STUDENTS
We are a group of 31 Fashion Design seniors who were never able to return from spring break. We were removed from our collective studio and moved back to personal spaces near and far. We learned to adapt in isolation and in moments when the struggle seemed too much, we dug deep to persevere. We motivated each other through virtual gatherings and recreated our studios in our living areas. Inspiring each other with our innovation within our new found limitations. We shared our work through virtual critiques and gathered for class on remote platforms, sometimes with our pets at our side and usually with a coffee in hand. Yet, we used our creative insights to reimagine what our thesis collections could be and saw them emerge with a new perspective.
ALESSANDRA AMATUCCI / Rhythmic Vortex / aeamatucci@outlook.com / @alessandraamatucci_
Sound not only moves through our ears - it moves through our bodies as well. Inspired by goosebumps, sound wave vibrations, ringing ears, and flashing lights, Rhythmic Vortex is a men's Ready-to-Wear collection that captures these physical and emotional sensations we feel during a concert. With electric colors, sharp lines, and mesmerizing fabric manipulations, Rhythmic Vortex will transport you to an electric concert experience.
ALICIA MILLER / Open For Interpretation / aliciajanemiller@gmail.com / @alildesigner
Exploring the process of personal growth through struggle and vulnerability. Textile inspiration is taken from intimate city details to reflect the concept of looking deeper into oneself and uncovering the details that make up who you are.
ANGELINA RICHARDSON / AWEAR / angelinarrichardson@gmail.com / @angelinarrichardson
Anyone who wears these garments are wearing emotions, not just clothing. They are taking a stand for the world with comfort surrounding us. We will rise up, but first, we need awareness.
ASHLEIGH MCKOY / Beneath the Evening Star / ashmcky@gmail.com / @ashleigh_mckoy_designs
At the end of a dream, I watched a full moon grow larger. As I continued watching, it began to swell until it looked tight, then exploded into a million silver stars across the ink blue sky. I watched overcome with feelings of wonder and amazement.
I fell in love with the very last image of the sky being engulfed in this wild scene, and thus began my collection. Beneath the Evening Star displays femininity through fantasy with soft designs and materials to bring you into a new world.
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AYANA JONES / PUnk! Ecollection / ayanasarajns@gmail.com / @saraunsilent_artist
Punk is and has been thought to be improper-it's ugly, it's monstrous, and big; how humans can be described from the perspective of every living thing in the world; including themselves. There are no limits or boundaries in punk.
CAROLINE FORTIN / frivolous Now / cfortin14@comcast.net / @definitely_may.be
We are living amid a breakdown of social and gendered norms - an age of unadulterated expression. Living in sustainability and utility can coexist with beauty and complexity and frivolity. The Now is one of rapidly changing times; our environmental and political climate has people unsure and afraid of the future. We want to survive but we also want to be beautiful.
CHRISTINA LIOTTI / The Roaring 2020s / christinaliotti101@gmail.com / @c.a.l.l.y.2020
My collection is one that is chaotic and glamorous but comes together for a common goal; party mystique. One that would turn heads and glisten in the light. Rhinestones, fur, and sequins make up the fabrics for my collection as they are the focal point of the garments of this time. Simple silhouettes with detailed embroidery, sequins, and rhinestones are what I have gathered as the foundation. From metal rhinestone sheets sewn together to create a jumpsuit, to paillettes covering the pants of another, to sequins and fringe, my collection embodies the spirit of the 1920s and movie The Great Gatsby but brings it to the present day as my collection is called The Roaring 2020s.
ELLA TAMAGNI / Punchline! / Ellatamagni@gmail.com / @ellatamagnidesign
“Everyone knows what it is like to experience humor”, Rod A Martin. It is a universal language that everyone understands. In these times of darkness and uncertainty, humor is what can connect us in ways nothing else can. Punchline! is inspired by funny stories, memories, and moments that are personal to me. As someone with synesthesia, my brain interprets memories and thoughts into waves of pattern and color, as represented in Punchline!
GIULIA SENA / Exposing Accentuation / giuliasenadesigns@gmail.com / @giuliasenadesigns
Inspired by different perspectives when viewing Brutalist architecture and exposing its complexities. The garments begin tailored and close to the body, then transform to become more sculptural as they move away from the body.
HANNAH COUSINS / Hostis Humani Generis - Enemy of Mankind / heccostumes@gmail.com / @heccostumes
In the 18th century, pirates sailed the seas under no laws but their own, each governed by a unique moral compass. Historical inspiration meets modern techniques to birth 5 unique characters; each with a life of their own and a story to tell. Aboard Queen Anne’s Revenge, Captain Blackbeard is accompanied by two of his crew- Jack, the First Mate, and Atticus, the Navigator, as they are hunted across the Atlantic by a vengeful bounty hunter by the name of Maryanne.
JACQUELYN MUNROE / No Fake Flowers / jacquelynmunroe@gmail.com / @jackattack611
No Fake Flowers is about being Organic, genuine and not cutting corners. This collection is for the bewitched women who are finding new femininity. Playing with sporty and couture elements, the collection is a mashup with a complex attitude that can be found not only in the garments but in the wearer as well. My women are dressing up casually.
JORDAN ROSALES / Found / jordanedenrosales@gmail.com / @jordanrosalessss
“Found” explores our current fight against fast fashion and needless consumption. Sustainable fashion is our future. Here I offer a solution to the problem of overconsumption with a transformable, versatile and sustainable collection.
JULIA BAILEY / Future of Femme / juliabaileydesigns@gmail.com/ @thats_sew_julia
Future of Femme forces you to dive deep into your personal power, a true awakening of the resilience and strength needed to own who you are.
JULIA HARRINGTON / Rosetti / jrharrington.design@gmail.com / @ijuliagulia_57
Rosetti takes inspiration from the Victorian Era to create clothing for the modern day romantic who can’t get their head out of the past. Through diaphanous fabrics, smocking details, hand painted floral motifs, and the Victorians’ most versatile color: purple, this collection brings the era’s dreamiest details to reality.
JULIA SHERWOOD / Bloom / julia.h.sherwood@gmail.com / @juliaiailuj
With my senior collection, Bloom, I expressed my femininity and vulnerability by up-cycling and dyeing second-hand garments into a ready-to-wear collection. A lot of my process was taking apart and putting back together the garments into interesting ways, while experimenting with different Shibori dyeing techniques. Figuring out how to delicately deconstruct the clothes I thrifted was reminiscent of how I was able to dissect my own self to better understand my flaws and strengths. I used to have a hard time expressing myself in fashion, but I’m learning how to trust my ideas, especially my fabric placements, color choices, and dye and couture techniques. I want to celebrate the strong woman I’m blooming into, along with the beauty of the female form.
KENDALL RICHARDSON / Metamorphosis / kendallrichardson28@gmail.com / @kendallrrich
These days my mind wanders to nostalgic memories of childhood and the comfort of family, friends, and home: the known. Everything is a bit uncertain as I graduate college and head off into the “real world;” these feelings have been further exaggerated with the global pandemic and the ever changing state of the world. It all makes me want to stay in the warmth and security of my nostalgic cocoon, which is exactly what this collection is inspired by. It is a reflection of the nostalgic tendencies, uncertainty about the future, and longing for the comfort of the past that I see both in myself and the people around me. To me, nostalgia is hazy, dreamy, and warm which inspired the muted color palette and soft textiles. Cozy knits, natural dyes, and upholstery fabrics are used throughout the collection to evoke feelings of comfort and peace. The outerwear in this collection serves as a cocoon to wrap oneself up in and shelter from the outside world; these outer-pieces cover more delicate garments underneath. Style lines and silhouettes in this collection are influenced by the venation and shape of butterfly wings and cocoons. Butterflies became my visual inspiration as I thought about their stages from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly breaking free of the cocoon (the stage I believe I am at in my own personal metamorphosis). Metamorphosis is a collection meant to express my emotions about the future using butterflies as a visual inspiration and interpretation.
LEAH CRETELLA / “Let’s Go!”/ leahcretella@gmail.com / @lacretella_designs
“Let’s Go!” is a fully functional outdoor sportswear collection inspired by a journey along the Appalachian Trail. This collection is heavily influenced by the journey, dedicated to those who are empowered by the activity that strengthens them. The journey is most important, so what will get you through matters. Each look is made from well sourced functional fabrics that pertain specifically to each sport and benefits the wearer in terms of its contents. Each textile is created by hand to embrace the beauty of the outdoors and the spaces that we explore.
Let’s Go!
MARILIA DEPINA / Nha Terra / depinamarilia@gmail.com / @mariliadepina
“No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.” As a designer I take inspiration from Cape Verdean: architecture, nature, and the culture, with American couture fashion that interested me as a child.
MASOOMA ADNAN ALI / Bedawi / masooma.alidesign@gmail.com / @soom.alii
Inspired by the sands of Bahrain and the life of the Bedouin women. As a designer I like combining ethnic elements with modern fashion, taking any opportunity to stay true to my roots.
MATTHEW CHARLES KNIGHT / Dominantoinette / matthewcharlesknightstudio@gmail.com / @matthewcharlesknight
Marie Antoinette is reborn as a dominatrix - with a vendetta to spare. Late 18th century couture blends with the black leather dominatrix aesthetic to remind the viewer that powerful women have always and will always be present, no matter the time period.
MEGAN HOOD / Between the Eye of the Sun and the Eye of Tulips / megan.alice.hood@gmail.com / @isthissharp
Along with making her photography thesis To Be Yours, Soon, she also has been working on photographing her fashion thesis collection Between the Eye of the Sun and the Eye of Tulips. Whether at a resort or at the beach, this collection is made for a day out on the pool or a walk along the coast. As a designer, Megan is inspired by natural beauty which is emphasized through soft pastels, pretty prints and flowy silhouettes within each of her garments. As well as having created her own digital textiles for this collection, she also designed, constructed, styled and photographed each look.
MELISSA PIERRE-LOUIS / The place I’m from doesn’t exist anymore / mplfatalfashion@gmail.com / @mpl_fatal_fashion
The place I've never been
The place my mother never returned to
The place that exists only at the intersection of her memory and my imagination
MELODY BARROS / VYBE | The vibration that’s heard, through fabric transferred. / melodybarrosdesign@gmail.com / @melodydesignroom
Attention to detail moves throughout the collection like a current of fibers. Strategically placed to visualize the musical parameters within a composition, like an abstract form of language. The Vybe Collection inspires movement with organic patterned lace and shimmering silver trims that embellish the female physique. Black gemstone and silver chain accent an individual’s best features to fine-tune the vybe of each ensemble.
MORGAN FLETCHER / MOMO / mjfletcher@momofashions.design / @___itsmomo___
I see you emerging
From an open field
The light striking you with
Radiance which attracts
A multitude of insects
Who float and fall on
You like living embellishments.
You feel no pain and only smile
As they dig under your
Skin and you and them are
Connected. In this moment
You realize that you are both
The same. The fears you once
Had vanish as you lose your
Shoes to the land and begin
To run. You are them.
Your clothes billow around you
And you take flight.
Leaving who everyone saw you as.
-I’m Buggin’
Momo is an interdisciplinary fashion designer who incorporates their background in visual arts, sculpture, and writing within their design work.
MORGAN VERNON / The Mariana Vagabonds / MVERNON060@gmail.com / @dyeingdaisies
As a human race, we have multiplied our need for power, and also our need for wisdom ~but we acquire wisdom much slower than power. The only way to command nature is to obey her. My collection portrays the apocalyptic future we will be living in. Each look juxtaposes our future climate state with the evolution of ‘mankind’. The clothes echo the metamorphosis that must occur for there to be any man-like lifeform left of earth.
NADIA BYCZKO / A Dollhouse is my Home / nadiabyczko@gmail.com / @bynadiabyczko
This size-inclusive, sustainable and versatile collection is an exploration of “home,” represented by the dollhouse my mother built me when I was three. Each look corresponds with each room, and each room represents specific people and places. The intricate, layered knit and embroidered details parallel with the warmth of the people that I love. The strong tailoring derives from the architecture of the places that I adore. This collection is dedicated to the people and places that make me feel like home. Thank you to my incredible models that I pattern-drafted and created custom sized garments for. It means so much to me that they were a part of my senior collection. Thank you to my mom for being my model and my dad for being my photographer when we had to adapt and create a photoshoot at home. Lastly, I’d like to thank my mom, dad, Stephen, Paul, Nonni, Pop, Zio Erminio, Grandma, Grumpy, Dagmar, and Izzy for making me feel like home. This collection is for all of you.
As a designer I focus a lot on function, problem-solving, textile creation/manipulation, and tailoring. I create tactile work that is meaningful, purposeful and thoughtfully engineered. I strive to be the most inclusive and ethically responsible designer that I can be, and I am very passionate about size-inclusivity, diversity, sustainability, and the Fair Trade movement. I have hope for the future and look forward to being able to help make positive change within the fashion industry.
(Special thanks to Dani Coca, Ja’Hari Ortega and Amy Joseph, models on top left)
NATASHA MWASHIGHADI / Identity in Diaspora / natasha@natashashangari.com / @_shangari & @natashashangari
“Identity in Diaspora” is a collection exploring what it means to be a first generation Kenyan-American. I chose to focus my color palette on the colors of the Pan-African flag, red, black, and green. Red: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, and shed for liberation; Black: black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and Green: the abundant natural wealth of Africa. I visited Kenya for the first time last December, and I left feeling even more revere for it than when I arrived. Themes in my collection explore learning more about my mother and father’s tribes; Luhya and Taitia. Luhya people are in the western part of Kenya while Taitia is in the coastal region. Scarification and Cowrie Shells are symbols I use frequently to represent these tribes, but also to represent spirituality (the detachment from the human form required to undergo scarification) and currency (cowrie shells used to be a form of currency in Africa, referencing African wealth & resource). Since the Pan African flag represents all people of Black African ancestry this leads into the main theme, Diaspora. By being a part of the African Diaspora I am not sure I would have made connections in the unique way I have with the variety of cultures of the Diaspora between African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and other Africans if it weren’t for being born in the west. This collection is a statement of pride in my African heritage & how much I cherish my community.
PENNI PENGFEI ZHU / Toy With Emotion / pzhu97@gmail.com / @ispenni_00
I have always been fascinated by the ability of certain colors and items of clothing to change moods or express emotions. A memory can leave an impression on a person; consequently, we do not choose how these memories influence our futures. The result of investigating my personal childhood memory of playing with glass marbles led me to develop a method to expand my memory.
As a fashion designer, I enjoy learning different new skills, as well as interacting with people and overcoming challenges. The courses in college helped me develop a keen aesthetic sense and an ability to sketch designs and patterns accurately and quickly. This will equip me with the knowledge and qualifications necessary to put me on the right road towards my goal of owning my own fashion label.
SEN ACEVEDO / Anomalías en Las Flores / lunarwinterstudio@gmail.com / @lunar_winter
Anomalies in flowers are commonplace, but the flowers with said anomalies are still breathtakingly beautiful. Our greatest challenge in life is to be able to see that our friends, neighbors, everyone around us, are all breathtakingly and imperfectly human.
Like flowers in nature, we are beautiful in all the ways we express ourselves. My collection is designed to give room for exploring the expression of our identity. We are all on a constant journey to understand and embrace our true selves without having to feel debased, unworthy, or stigmatized. I present to you, Anomalías en Las Flores; A genderless collection.
SHAWN XIAO / The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons / Shawnmatrexf@gmail.com / @shawnmstudio
Mortals don’t understand that existence is an unbreakable cycle of torture. What’s the color of the sky? What’s the scent of azalea? What’s the feeling of loving someone so much you would even give up your life for them? … I don’t remember …. Day after day... I’ve lost track of time… When was the last time I felt my heart beat? … I’m living in the world you have always dreamed of, would you care to take a look?
CHUXIN “TERESA” SHI / Château de Versailles / teresacxshi@gmail.com / @teresashi96
The beauty of Versailles is reinterpreted as a women's pursuit of beauty and self-confidence. The elegance of an evening dress is not limited to traditional craftsmanship and conventional elements. The formal Baroque style is transformed into a modern context for a new era and in a new form.