On Jan. 31, students, faculty, family and friends gathered in the Union Ballroom to be transported back to an age of elegance. Fashion in Business (FIB) partnered with the Union Programming Council (UPC) to promote eight student designers in the University of Utah’s third annual fashion show.
The night, aptly themed “Hollywood Glamour,” allowed guests the opportunity to come dressed in their most decadent black tie attire. The ballroom was dripping in pearls, filled with gold candelabras and crystal vases were topped with feathers.
As suits, tuxedos and ball gowns filled the room, the designers each bringing their own unique perspective into the spotlight, were backstage readying themselves for their red carpet runway debut.
Hookchute
Brennah Strange kicked off the show with an eight look collection from her brand “Hookchute.” Named for her favorite ski lift, her brand’s mission is to create durable outerwear with a stylish flare. “I design outdoor gear made for adventure,” Strange said. Her finale look featuring exaggerated barrel leg ski pants was a jaw dropping start to the night.
Canyon Construct
Canyon Sargent, the creative mind behind his brand, “Canyon Construct,” was next on the runway. He is a multidisciplinary designer whose work has evolved from digital typography and industrial design to clothing. The genesis of Sargent’s interest in fashion was during his freshman year of high school.
“It’s funny, my pants have gotten bigger every year since that time and my style now is the complete opposite,” he said.
The collection Sargent made for the show is inspired by his emergence from a dark time in his life. He remembers a moment when his friend Blake said “I like seeing you smile,” which inspired the message of positivity that Sargent hopes erupts from his grunge-inspired streetwear collection.
Femininity and Glamour
Lucy Rodriguez, who has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, found her match in her friend, Shayla Le.
“Since we are beginners, thrifting and upcycling are our brand,” Le said. The two have banded together to create a collection of second-hand garments blended with elements of femininity and glamour.
“My favorite thing about designing is the creativity of it. I just love coming up with a bunch of ideas,” Rodriguez said. Their collection featured an array of remastered garments with a touch of elegance.
Ethereal Archive
Kimberly Contreras brought sustainability to the runway as the top priority of her brand, “Ethereal Archive.” She fell in love with designers like Vivienne Westwood and Rick Owens who became the foundations of her design aesthetic.
In high school, Contreras became inspired by her little brother’s distinct style and knew she wanted to create a stand out brand.
“I would describe my brand as very grandma-y,” she said. “Think of when you go over to your grandma’s house and you see distinct patterns in the curtains, that is what I want my brand to feel like, very comforting,” she said.
Lamouramy
After a 30 minute intermission, “Lamouramy,” a brand created by Amy Lam and dedicated to the love of fashion, kicked off the second half of the show. Lam was surrounded by fashion infested media as a child, always reading magazines and desperate to know the latest celebrity trends. This, combined with her love of creativity, influenced her decision to become a designer.
Lam’s brand identity is centered around elegance and sophistication.
“I love luxurious fabrics, luxurious metals, pearls, things like that,” she said. Her collection for this year’s show fit snugly within those parameters and was adorned with gold accents.
Maison de Bassaid
Maryam Bassaid, an Algerian designer was next on the runway with her debut collection, “Maison de Bassaid.” Her interest in design stems from her grandmother’s time at a fashion school in Oran, Algeria with Yves Saint Laurent. (YSL)
“She is my biggest inspiration when it comes to fashion,” Bassaid said.
Bassaid takes inspiration from the classics within the world of fashion like vintage Chanel and Oscar de la Renta.
“I think fashion has had a downfall lately,” she said. “I am really trying to bring back that elegance of couture with this collection.”
Matta Perla Studio
Madolyn Talley, the creator of the formal wear brand Matta Perla Studio, values the importance of sustainability in her work as well as maintaining the element of femininity.
“My favorite thing about designing is seeing the vision come to life,” Talley said. She finds fulfillment in seeing the ideas in her head come to fruition.
Growing up, Talley found enjoyment in crafting and sewing, so when she discovered the possibility to do those things as a career, she knew that was exactly what she wanted to do. Her line for this year’s show depicts the chronology of a bride as it has something for each event that a bride would go to.
Hiver Chic and Anna Claire
Two members of the Fashion in Business board, Anna De Guzman and Winter Chamberlain collaborated on a collection to wrap up the show. In a stroke of fate, Chamberlain’s jewelry line “Hiver Chic” provided just the right amount of whimsy to adorn Guzman’s looks.
When Guzman was seven years old, she was gifted her first sewing machine which sparked her love for creativity. Ever since, she has fallen in love with the process of letting her creative juices flow through design.
“I would describe my brand ‘Anna Claire’ as a whimsical and feminine brand,” she said. “It’s very fairytale-esque.”
Each of these designers truly created one of a kind collections fit for any red carpet. The FIB Executive Board came together with the UPC team for a third time and rolled one right out for them.
