The annual CSU Fashion Show presented by the Department of Design and Merchandising took fashion to new heights, exposing attendees at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center to the future of fashion. Taking place on April 12, the event, titled XPOSURE, was curated, developed, and executed in its entirety by students in the Department of Design and Merchandising.
Featuring the diverse collections of 19 graduating apparel design students and 24 junior draping design students, XPOSURE presented the cynosure of forward-thinking student design. The most extraordinary of the designs were recognized with awards at the culmination of the show. Learn more about the awardees below.
Nogah Seidemann: Outstanding Designer
Hailing from Austin, Texas, by way of Tel-Aviv, Israel, Nogah Seidemann’s Seize the Scrap collection is made entirely from either post-consumer textiles or original textile designs that have been digitally printed. By using a variety of embellishment and manipulation techniques such as applique and color blocking, Nogah is able to reinvent a textile from its original life inspiring individuals and other designers to consider their own textile waste. The collection pulls inspiration from the mosaics of the New York Subway and the fabulous artwork of Gustav Klimt, playing with a plethora of bright colors and golden accents.
Cameron Utter: Best Construction
Fort Collins, Colorado, designer Cameron Utter’s collection represents his all-encompassing design aesthetic. Through his work, he aspires to make dreams and visions come to life. Reinventing what it means to be a male designer in formal wear, Utter wants every woman wearing his pieces to feel like a princess.
Utter’s collection is the showstopper of any party, incorporating a sense of enchantment and an amassment of color. Utter dedicates his collection to his grandmother.
Colin Beard: Most Marketable
Fort Collins native Colin Beard’s line “Urban Jungle” takes inspiration from combining urban aesthetics with protection from naturally occurring elements such as rain and snow. The intent was for art to be implemented within the construction of jackets rather than merely on the surface. This collection of outerwear is intended to be purchased and worn by men who seek fashionable garments that protect them from the elements.
Fabrics within this collection consist of premium weatherproof materials such as PVC, GORE-TEX, and Nylon. The main design element was the achromatic color scheme utilized throughout the line, which is inspired by minimalism.
Mika Bernal: Most Creative
Mika Bernal is from Pueblo, Colorado. Inspiration for her line comes from sunsets and art nouveau/surrealist painters, the moon, and Grecian themes. This collection of evening wear is intended to be purchased and worn by sophisticated women who light up a room with their confidence. Fabrics for this line are a hand-dyed eyelet mesh and beaded trim. The mesh is dyed in coffee and indigo dye. The main design element is the use of trim to juxtapose fantasy and elegance to create a playful, yet sophisticated look.
Otter Shop Collaboration
In addition to the students’ individual designs, apparel students participated in a collaborative design project with Fort Collins’ own, Otter Shop. Otter Shop, the one stop shop for stylish OtterBox cases, partnered with Colorado State University design students for a project inspired by the OtterBox Home Grown Symmetry Series collection. In October 2018, the class was challenged to create prints inspired by this collection.
“Home Grown” resonated with each of the students in a variety of ways, leading them to pull from both overarching global trends, and to look inward. Through their designs, the students celebrated their stories, roots, and home communities in “Home Grown.” The collection was accompanied by local singer-songwriter Ally Westover, who performed an original song of the same name.
The Department of Design and Merchandising is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
