Global-Inspired Fashion Show
For the first time, Kent State School of Fashion students debuted their work at New York Fashion Week on Sept. 9, 2022. Students shared the runway with Paris students and , a brand supported by the International Organization for Migration.
Kicked off by remarks from President Todd Diacon, the inaugural show was co-hosted by Ann Walter, BA ’96, MEd ’19, director of New York City Fashion, a study away destination of 5X School of Fashion, and Jean-Baptiste Andreani, CEO of IFA Paris. Their shared purpose for the creative partnership was to increase alumni engagement and elevate recognition for two leading fashion schools and the impact of global cultures. Both schools understand the global nature of the modern fashion industry.
aims to join French fashion heritage with the world and is committed to sustainability as a corporate social responsibility-certified institution. With campuses in Paris, Shanghai and Istanbul, each year it welcomes students of 50 different nationalities, 95% of whom attend courses taught in English.
5X School of Fashion ranks among the top 25 in the world and the top 10 in the United States. It offers several study away programs, including New York City, Florence, Paris and Hong Kong. Its New York location is in the heart of Manhattan’s garment district, allowing students to participate in internships, work with industry leaders and explore the marketplace.
To underscore the event’s spirit of global citizenship, the final three outfits in the show were by No Nation Fashion, a brand born in Bosnia and Herzegovina combining the skills of Bosnian designers and migrants who developed their sewing skills while staying at temporary reception centers during the COVID-19 pandemic. NNF celebrates the meeting of cultures and promotes the inclusion of migrants in host communities through fashion. The brand is powered by the UN’s International Organization for Migration with the support of its donors.
“The School of Fashion is committed to the values of authenticity, creativity, equity and community,” says Walter, who worked in the New York City fashion industry for many years prior to becoming a faculty member. “Collaborating with IFA Paris and NNF further helped us to amplify the voices of people in the fashion industry who have been historically marginalized and underserved. It allowed us to live these values as well as our mission to transform lives through creative fashion education in pursuit of a sustainable world by connecting with others and pursuing positive change.”
More than 150 Kent State alumni and friends, IFA Paris guests and UN guests gathered on the top floor of to see the work of top designers from both schools and Bosnian designers and migrants.
“Fashion is probably one of the most prestigious programs at Kent State,” says Diane Helfers Petrella, dean of Kent State’s College of the Arts. She spoke at the show, as did Mourad Krifa, interim director of the School of Fashion. “We are committed to investing in this program and letting it grow. I can’t think of any better way to show that investment than holding a show like this during fashion week in New York City.”
—Lindsey Vlasic, BA ’22
The designs of four Kent State fashion students, whose collections had won awards at the annual Kent State Fashion Show in April 2022, were highlighted at the New York Fashion Week in September.
Jayda Breiding, BFA ’22
Market Ready Award / Best in Show Award
The Connector
“I have created an adaptable and accessible collection for individuals with nonverbal autism. It can also help with depression and anxiety, but it is not limited to just these disorders and disabilities. Each outfit is designed to help a sensory issue, such as [providing] the feeling of cocooning.”
D’Antae Butler, BFA ’22
Celebration Award
10.14
“I titled my collection 10.14 because it is a reminder of self-love. It is also my birth date and an initiation of renewal and regrowth. It is about queer resilience to the adversity that we face. I wanted to show a futuristic aesthetic because I feel queer people are the future. I wanted to highlight that and empower trans and nonbinary individuals.”
Mase Makuch, BFA ’22
Niche Market Award
Embracing Chaos
“Initially, when I was conceptualizing the collection, I knew I wanted to explore masculinity and femininity. This was important to me because I was questioning my own gender at the time. Since then, I’ve been able to come out as the trans woman I am today. I’ve felt empowered by my femininity and have been able to channel that into this collection. I titled it Embracing Chaos because it’s about embracing femininity in a powerful way. Chaos cannot be controlled and neither should femininity.”
Nora Riffle, BFA ’22
Innovation Award
Gami
“Forever, I’ve been fascinated by folding paper. Last spring, I studied in Hong Kong for six months. [In my collection] there’s origami, but there’s also the garment underneath, the base garment. A lot of my inspiration comes from being in Hong Kong. The juxtaposition of the buildings and the nature that they include around and in them—the structure of my garments came from that.”
Watch a video of the show’s finale for a glimpse of the fashions on the runway:
Learn more about Kent State’s School of Fashion and New York City Fashion.
Watch a video of the entire
Watch a video of the award-winning collections at the .