Designers own the runway for annual Senior Fashion Show

From heritage to self-discovery to historical moments, a wide variety of ideas that sparked the minds of Syracuse University fashion design seniors were on full display Thursday for the annual year-end showcase.

With a full house of friends, family and guests, wonder and eagerness filled the room as model after model hit the runway at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse. Each designer had their own song that accompanied their collection to capture the essence of their theme as models brought their creations to life. 

Starting from the original design sketches in the fall semester through the end of Thursday’s pair of shows, the senior designers’ months of work was strikingly executed. Just by looking at the end of the runway, where the seniors were watching their models display their pieces, everyone in attendance could observe the triumph. 

“I love seeing the reaction of the designer when their piece is on a model,” fashion design program coordinator Jeffrey C. Mayer said. “The minute you put it on a model suddenly it has a life, and it belongs to that person. It’s so exciting and I love seeing the students hit that realization.”

The students gained many skills including organization, time management, trends and other takeaways that will help them further their careers in the fashion industry. Gabby Evans’ theme focuses on making sure every woman feels and looks glamorous.

“Being organized is very key in the industry,” Evans said. “I’ve definitely changed a lot since my first year, and I’ve gained a lot more confidence in who I am.”

For senior Zihang Ding, designing for a show of this size was a first, causing excitement and anticipation to see the final showcase. Ding’s theme for the show was inspired by crows and their physical and mental characteristics.

“The civilization and the thoughts of crows are very worthy for us to learn about,” Ding said. 

Photo by Malcolm Taylor

Zihang Ding poses for a photo with models wearing his designs.

Yegunahareeta Printup traveled to New York City to obtain the fabric to create the collection inspired by her Indigenous background as a member of the Tuscarora Beaver Clan. Printup also incorporated bead work into the clothes keeping a traditional sense while experimenting with modern design. 

“My culture was a big inspiration for my collection,” Printup said. “Just the fact that as Native people were such a small demographic within society so there’s not a lot of representation in mainstream.”

“I really wanna create that space for my people and I wanna make clothes that I feel reflect us and that they can wear every day and feel comfortable in,” Printup continued.

Mya Latimer’s collection, titled “Grunge Witch,” focused on the music genre and the portrayal of witches in the media in the ‘90s. The collection featured an iconic Nirvana photograph incorporated on a pair of pants. 

Photo by Malcolm Taylor

Designer Maya Latimer alongside the models wearing her designs.

“I kind of wanted to go with the overlap I saw with grunge fashion and witches and both of those themes kind of had a feminism undertone,” Latimer said.  

The faculty helped the show run smoothly from onstage to off, creating an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Fashion design professor Kirsten Schoonmaker said there was a thrill being backstage at Thursday’s show.

“They’ve been working on dress forms and they’ve been seeing it static — that’s not what fashion is,” Schoonmaker said. “Fashion is in motion on bodies. So this is such an exciting moment for them.”