Victor Delgado
Claire Groppe
JunHo Park
Abigail Shute
Shaylin Thurston
Edna St. Louis Wendy Krimins, Vice President & General Manager, Neiman Marcus Michigan Avenue
Timothy Long, Director, Senior Specialist of Couture, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
Chloé Mendel, Creative Director/Co-Founder, Maison Atia
Sylwia Wilczynska, Owner/Head Designer, Sylwia Designs Inc.

Kristen Banks: Hera’s Appetite for Vengeance is a costume collection that tells the story of a continued battle between Hera and Hercules through volume, drama, and theatrics.

Bionca Cummins: Mid-Evil Knightlife is a nod to the 15th century Middle Ages and nightlife couture, and embodies the intersection of the Middle Ages and modern styles.

Brandi Davis: No Church in the Wild draws attention to the arches and curves that shape a woman’s body; the architecture of the garments is very modern and fashion-forward—with a twist.

Eric J. De La Garza: One tends to hide behind layers; clothing expresses the alienation of self-image, sexuality, and anxiety inside, but once you Close Your Eyes & Count to Five, you realize that it is not that bad after all.

Victor Delgado: Inspired by his transition to Chicago from Puerto Rico, My Coldest Sunset is representative of never giving up. It is knowing that even on the coldest days, the sun waits for you to remind you that everything is going to be okay.

Alyssa Evelyn: Flowing Midnight was created to convey the feeling of the night by showing the hidden beauty of tree silhouettes against the night sky and the lightness of a bat's wing.

Estefania Galvan: Culture Within Textiles is a collection inspired by her country, Columbia, and is focused on culture and diversity which is represented through the vibrant colors and the statement prints that stand out in each piece.

Gabriela Garcia: Shrugging Consternation reminds observers that although anxiety has no cure to date, one can alleviate the internal feelings provoked by anxiety by controlling the external emotions through the comfort found in clothing.

Claire Groppe: Essentia is inspired by natural forms and colors; this collection attempts to capture the beauty of the feminine genius.

Adreain Guillory: Motherland Prayers is inspired by the connection of spiritual threads left by his ancestors in the African American community through gospel music.

Heather Hans: Abstract Harmony is inspired by abstract shapes and lines that work together to create beautiful movement that is appealing to the eye while also experimenting with void spaces and structures using abstract shapes.

Angelina Lee: Blurred Existence is for those of us who are on a journey to find ourselves within the conflicts of desire for belonging and existing within the eyes of the world.

Gnivol Loving: Plum Fairies is for the host of the party who desires to be the center of attention, drawing inspiration from the Sugar Plum Fairy of The Nutcracker who hosts the most lavish parties.

Dejah Mansfield: Masculinity was designed for the man who is unafraid to wear what he wants and shows his masculinity through it—his masculinity is not evaluated by what he wears.

Rebecca Martin: Focused on gender fluidity, Sartorial Gender Performance is inclusive; the garments offer a variety of choices that support a sense of belonging and community, regardless of the gender identity or preferred expression.

Carlos Osuna: Rule Zero showcases an important exploration of the emerging market in disability wear, bringing both style and function to a community of consumers who have been overlooked—even ostracized—by the fashion community.

JunHo Park: EnhancING exemplifies enhanced beauty and bodily improvement; it exhibits one’s perseverance for achieving the beauty that one desires.

Molly Quinn: An Abnormal Condition of Sleep analyzes the use of horror and fear in the German Expressionist movement through handcrafted and digitally printed textiles, 3D printing, and silhouettes that consume the body.

Amanda Ruano: Sotobosque is the layer of the rainforest that one experiences on foot and this collection reflects the tropical experience through color, texture, and construction.

Abigail Shute: A Present for My Past is inspired by flowers that she grew up with, specifically irises; the form and patterning of the flowers is recreated in the silhouettes and colors.

Edna St. Louis: Fetishwear for the Office is a collection of office wear that reveals your nighttime secrets.

Shaylin Thurston: Wahine Ikaika is for strong women everywhere, embodied by the quote: “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”

Justin Wong: A nostalgic office worker attempts to travel back in time to Hong Kong’s nomadic fishing village; Diving for Pearls hyperbolizes the act of nostalgia through this imagined narrative of the sentimental office worker.

Evelin Zermeno: Inspired by roads and Chicago nightlife, RS Guise is a collection that utilizes line and movement to embody a city that is always on the go, all while promoting sustainability through its use of discarded rubber.