By Bianca Dinkha
They were once aspiring fashion students working diligently in the fashion lab. Now, they step out as skilled alumni fashion designers unveiling their creations on the runway for Chicago Fashion Week.
The first DU Alumni Fashion show was alongside Chicago Fashion Week, making Dominican University one of two universities who participated in this fashion extravaganza.
Melissa Carr, associate professor and fashion chair, says that this show was a great way to highlight the university, fashion department, students, and alumni involved.
She emphasized this event being a spotlight for alumni fashion designers and their accomplishments.
“The main goals are to showcase alumni and the work that they’ve been doing since they’ve graduated, as well as bringing awareness to our fashion design and merchandising program here in River Forest,” Carr said. “A lot of people don’t know who we are. So, this is a good way for people to see what our students can do.”
The show displayed 65 garments featuring a wide range of clothing including gowns, bathing suits, and avant-garde formal attire.
Alumni designer, Adilene Villalpando ‘22, revealed her collection, Villandez, presenting her masterful sewing skills and intricate sequin work.
Villalpando says that her time at Dominican heavily influenced her fashion career and was thrilled to come back and pay homage as a designer.
“The program here is super oriented on detail; structured sewing and how to make everything from scratch,” she said. “I feel like that really made me look at [fashion] creatively, but also knowing what a high-quality garment is.”
“One of my main goals was always to come back as an alumni still designing,” she continued. “I didn’t think it was going to be two years later, but I was ecstatic to find out they were doing this. When they reached out on Instagram, I was so happy.”
Villalpando also offered some advice to current fashion students, encouraging them to take as many opportunities as possible.
“When you’re in school, I feel like there’s a lot of opportunities,” she said. “If you don’t take them, you’ll miss them. [Now,] it’s not just handed to you, they are opportunities you have to look for.”
Opportunity knocks for a group of ambitious fashion students; Julia Nowowlejski, Angeli Benuzzi, Albina Ikizli, Alana Justice, Ioannis Adamopoulos, and Keely Marlot, who took charge coordinating the show.
Nowowlejski, a fashion merchandising major, was one of the main vendors at the show, demonstrating some of her hand-crafted jewelry. Models sported seashell necklaces from her line, Aqua Aura Creations.
“It feels a little surreal,” Nowowlejski said. “I started creating jewelry about a year and a half now, so to see it on a runway is a very good feeling. When you see all [the] alumni [working] in the fashion industry, it kind of relieves you a bit.”
This fashion show successfully highlighted the talent and creativity of both alumni and current fashion students, fostering a sense of community in their shared accomplishments.
Villalpando reflected on her journey as a fashion student and felt that showing her designs was a fulfilling and rewarding experience.
“It felt great to be able to come back,” she said. “It justifies that I did this and it’s working because someone is noticing, especially when it’s your alma mater. My professors are still here, so they get to see all the effort they put into me. It worked!”
bdinkha@my.dom.edu
