Fashion Show 2024
Fashion Design
During the 2023-2024 Teen Arts + Tech Program, the fashion design studio partnered with the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), allowing students to take inspiration from the museum’s exhibitions and permanent collection to create original fashion designs.
Avant-Garde: Peace Over War
The teen artists chose the theme “Peace Over War” to guide their designs. This theme is demonstrated through each students garment and ties in with the Teen Arts + Tech spring 2024 driving question: “what does collective change look, sound, or feel like?”
Peace for the Clouds
Designed by: Rolo Walker
Inspiration: “Antiquarum Lacrimae (The Tears of Ancient Women)” by Joan Snyder
“I was inspired by the colors and how brightly it stood out from all of the other art objects we looked at. The flowers reminded me of meteors which gave me the main idea for my embroidery.”
La Paloma
Designed by: Stephen Pellathy
Modeled by: Dani Ferratt
Inspiration: “Birds and Fishes” by Pablo Picasso
“Somewhat knowing of Picasso’s work, I chose this piece because it seemed easy to interpret into a clothing form. Based on the forms of patterns of the vase I found it easy to replicate the fish and birdlike patterns into the final outfit.”
Xinyu (Sing-u)
Designed by: Lila Vankuiken
Inspiration: “Out of Darkness Comes the Light” by Allen Leepa
“I was inspired by the colors of this piece, especially by the blue which is heavily used throughout while highlighting the additional colors in the painting. My title is based on my given name, which is in Chinese, meaning ‘heart speaking.’”
Silent Hill
Designed by: Dani Ferratt
Inspiration: “Untitled from the Katarsis Portfolio” by Magdalena Abakanowicz
“I was drawn to the scribbly drawings and how the artist interpreted her viewpoint of life throughout the wartime. My goal was to match the grayscale as in the art.”
Rise Over War
Collaboration Piece: Monday + Wednesday fashion design studio
Inspiration: “Saint of the Forest Edge” by Hans Arp
Modeled + Constructed by: Billie Beresford, Fashion design studio assistant
Breaking Through
Designed by: Marilyn Morales
Inspiration: “Out of Darkness Comes the Light” by Allen Leepa
“I was inspired by the historical background of the piece that the curator was sharing with us during our tour at the GRAM. I hand dyed the fabric based on the colors from the painting and accented it with black satin ribbon appliques”
Flightless
Designed by: Sheena Garcia
Inspiration: “Champion of the Spirit” by Ernst Barlach and “Antiquarum Lacrimae (The Tears of Ancient Women)” by Joan Snyder
“I chose two art objects because I liked the sculpture of the angel holding the sword, and the second one shows the flowers appearing to bleed, which gives me the feeling of people suffering. The red and yellow from the painting inspired my color palette and the sculpture inspired winged sleeves.”
Circalene
Designed by: Ineke Petroelje
Inspiration: “Birds and Fishes” by Pablo Picasso
“I was inspired totally by the contrasting colors of the earthy brown and cloud like whiteness. The representation of the fish and birds. The top is kind of geometric whereas the bottom is kind of asymmetrical mimicking the shape of the vase.”
Wrapped In “Healed” Scars
Designed by: Lulu Nygaard-Tap
Inspiration: Inspired by “Untitled from the Katarsis Portfolio” by Magdalena Abakanowicz and “Study for the Prophet” by Leonard Baskin
“I was first inspired by the untitled piece of the human torso which made me think of that idea to represent the organs of the human body. The sculpture with the wrappings around the figure inspired me to represent that as bandages of wounded soldiers. I combined this with the spattered red acrylic paint representing blood of war victims.”
Florez
Designed by: Mychaela Janes
Inspiration: “Antiquarum Lacrimae (The Tears of Ancient Women)” by Joan Snyder
“I really liked the colors of the painting, and how the flowers were smashed up against it, that made me feel like the artist was representing her anger about the rights of women. The flowers on my piece are based on the painting, and the camouflage represents war and people in the military.”
Ripped Out from Under
Designed by: Charlotte Moxon
Inspiration: Inspired by “Out of Darkness Comes the Light” By Allen Leepa
“When I see a work of art, generally the color is the first thing that stands out and inspires me to run with it. I also really enjoy the abstract aspect of it that allows me to interpret the piece as I see it.”
Efflorescent
Designed by: Helena Strait
Inspiration: “Antiquarum Lacrimae (The Tears of Ancient Women)” by Joan Snyder
“I found this piece pretty. I really liked the colors and flowers; it made me feel peaceful. I added the colors from the painting along with the flowers to represent peace whereas the bottom skirt is made of camouflage fabric to represent war.”
Shape of Things to Come
Collaboration Piece: Tuesday + Thursday Class
Inspiration: “Out of Darkness Comes the Light” by Allen Leepa
Modeled + Constructed by: Billie Beresford, Fashion design studio assistant
