Around SCAD, SCAD
Around SCAD, SCAD

Unique designs at the SCAD Fashion Exhibition

Written by Jordan Santiago. Photo courtesy of Jordan Santiago.

On November 4th, the SCAD Fashion Exhibition took place in the Pei Ling Chan Gallery. I got the pleasure of going there for a photo shoot of the exhibit and asking the designers questions about the inspirations, concept phases, and processes of their designs.

First, I talked to designer Noelle Thomas. For her collection, she began by researching heavily when it came to various disabilities, as she realized that less than thirty brands cater to people with disabilities. She also felt that the workflow was very fluid. The hardest part of making this collection was making sure the voices of those with disabilities were heard. Noelle herself doesn’t have physical disabilities, so she felt it was important to do proper research to empower people with disabilities.

Noelle Thompson at the SCAD Fashion Exhibit.

I also interviewed Penni Zhu. The concept for her collection found inspiration from the 18th-century corset trades and a Sado style, but mixed with modern structures. The challenge she faced when developing this collection had to do with designing the patterns. She wanted to make sure that the patterns felt accurate to her inspiration, the Sado style.

Penni Zu at the SCAD Fashion Exhibit.
Penni Zu’s fashion collection.

The third person I talked to was Siying Chen. Her collection is about how fashion-based technology is developing. She wanted to accentuate a digital feeling by using very geometric shapes but with more natural elements. She started and finished with the digital platform and the finishing touches were the print patterns. The digital nature of her collection made the workflow a lot smoother.

Siying Chen’s fashion collection.
Siying Chen at the SCAD Fashion Exhibit.
Siying Chen’s fashion designs.

Lastly, I got to interview Lei Zhang. She started with the idea of expressions. She started the project using a 3D model to create and manipulate cloth shapes. Essentially, 3D provides a preview and inspiration. The hardest part of the project was the print, because she wanted everything to feel varied but also cohesive.

Lei Zhang’s fashion collection.
Lei Zhang at the SCAD Fashion Exhibition.

It was interesting to talk to all of these designers and view their works. It provided a lot of insight into what designing fashion is like, along with the struggles and challenges of the process.

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