by About a dozen designers from all educational backgrounds came together to showcase their designs at the Fashion and Play symposium at Rapson Hall at the University of Minnesota.
Their task was to incorporate elements of “play” into their fashion designs.
Toni Anthony, a senior at the University of Minnesota, said she presented her senior capstone project. She said she had seen a gap in the market for interesting kid’s clothing.
“I created a toddler gender neutral sportswear collection with interactive aspects in it so it’s kind of incorporating toys and clothes into one,” Anthony said.
Liu Qinyi, a student at Donghua University in China, said she was inspired by an old Chinese folktale about a protective tiger. So she created a collection for her children with hopes that they will be able to play in her outfits and be creative.
“When the babies grow, they can wear the collection,” Qinyi said.
Incorporating play into designs went beyond making clothes for young children. Several designers made designs for adults.
Yuru Ma is an instructor at Donhua University and China. She said a company had tasked her to use a specially designed zipper on everyday garments. So she created a design that used the zipper that allows that allows the wearer to change out different aspects on the jacket.
“This collection is street wear,” Ma said.
Chukwuma Nweje Udezeh, a University of Minnesota graduate student, focuses on creating designs highlighting systematic issues that disabled and mentally ill people have faced. He redesigned a strait jacket.
“So taking a garment that was used for restriction and oppression against disabled and mentally ill institutionalized people and attempting to transform that into a fashionable wearable garment,” Nweje Udezeh said.
Students, instructors and young children came to the symposium to see the designers’ work. The designers used the symposium to showcase their work and receive feedback.
“It’s nice and inspiring to hear people say that they can see this being somewhere like Target or at any major brand,” Anthony said. “So it’s nerve wracking to present it, but I am always given wonderful feedback of showing that this could be something.”
“I think it’s been a pretty rewarding experience,” Nweje Udezeh said. “Especially with people understanding my thought process.”
Innovation and creativity took center stage at the Fashion and Play symposium, where designers from diverse backgrounds unveiled their collections, and demonstrated the fusion of fashion and play in unique and thought-provoking ways.
April 20 marks the end of Minnesota Fashion Week. For more details, click here.
