“Rules in fashion are meant to be broken,” Obey Clothing’s founder and 2016 Spirit of Design Award winner Mike Ternosky tells a packed house at the PhilaU Annual Fashion Show. The work of over 100 students was shown on the runway, but there’s nothing “Design School” about this show. The event space at Sherman Mills, with translucent chairs lining an L shaped runway, looks like NYFW. The Premium section in front of the bend feels like a who’s who of PhilaU alum and VIPs. When host Dr. Carson Kresley- yes, doctor- hands it off to Director Sheila Connelly, she tells us that PhilaU students are professionals from their freshman year. That becomes evident as looks start walking down the runway, as well as the fact that we’re experiencing the future of fashion. These trends are about to be a very big deal.
1. Gender-Neutral:
No less than 3 designers created collections that weren’t made specifically for the men’s section, or the women’s. In particular, Senior Deanna Kennedy showed us in her collection, Scarab, just how cool inclusive design can be. So say goodbye to the argument that non-gender-specific design can’t sell, or that it’s not what people want. I want that jacket, who doesn’t?
2. Fringe for Formal
I am not a fringe fan. That may be partially because at 5’0, it tends to eat me whole whenever I attempt to wear it. But, multiple designers proved me wrong on Thursday. They sent some of the most beautiful fringe formalwear garments down the runway. There were two different Red Dress submissions that utilized it in a way that was so classy, I couldn’t believe it. I think we just might be seeing it on the Red Carpet soon.
1. Collaboration
What’s that? PhilaU likes collaboration? You don’t say. Yes, PhilaU ADORES collaboration, and much as we’ve all heard the Nexus Learning elevator pitch, this show proved why. When people work together, we can make something greater than the sum of our parts. A record number of collaborations were submitted this year. That’s the PhilaU way, but what does it mean for the rest of the world? How cool would it be if designers started to work with artists or textile designers to make unique fabrics for their work? Differing from the massive market is becoming so important, and this might just be how.
Only at PhilaU do students put on this kind of showcase of their work. That forward thinking that’s instilled early on here puts them on the cutting edge of their industry. Buzzwords aside, that innovation makes me very confident in their trend forecasting (or maybe setting) abilities. Give it a year or so, we’ll all be able to say we saw it at PhilaU first.