Looking at the work of the Class of ’22, it’s clear that there are seismic shifts happening in fashion. These changes are the result of a fresh way of approaching design; in place of the postmodern remix that has set us on an endless loop of nostalgia, many new-gen creators are using fashion as (auto)biography. Instead of navigating fashion history, they’re plumbing the abstract landscapes of the psyche and emotions. In this scenario, fashion is the left brain to the also intangible right-brain world of the web.
With FIT’s Class of 2022, several themes emerged. The first revolved around coming to grips with powerful emotions like love and anxiety. Tianai Yuan and Jiawen Hou were focused on different aspects of romance. Yuan’s pieces featured quilted hearts, while Hou’s dramatic volumes were designed to capture a feeling of alienation within a relationship. Anxiety was the theme of Joyce Kim’s Art of Public Speaking collection, which captured the physical effects of the condition in ways literal and poetic. The ebb of memory was depicted by the undulous layers in Daeun Lee’s creations.
Dealing with difference was another topic addressed by the students. Sonia Yanes focused on adaptive design, paying attention to details that were both functional and fashionable, like buttonhole pleats that compress and release. Baohui Liu’s starting points, mysophobia and OCD, were translated through her meticulous care and technique into airy pieces of great beauty and volumes that literally made room for individuality.
Responsibility was top of mind for Karo Buttler, whose upcycled collection brought hiking elements to street-style staples. Essence Nyrie also used existing materials for her looks, which were inspired by pioneering women, including dancer Loie Fuller.
Eleanor Burholt looked to a fictional female, Tennyson’s Lady of Shalott, for her fantastical lace-trimmed evening wear. Nina Tang’s similarly frilly frocks championed the female gaze. More down-to-earth was Alex Fan’s soft take on prep in the form of over-embroidered knit argyles. Allison Ko translated her passion for skiing into her work.
Speaking broadly, FIT’s Class of 2022 is highly introspective and resourceful. COVID forced them to be scrappy, and they found beauty even in trauma and discord. They haven’t forgotten joy, however. Maryam Almasi wrote that her process involved “falling into the arms of the unexpected and celebrating it.” Inspired by movement and organic shapes, Critic Award winner Claire Greidanus described her voluminous collection as “a joyful reference to self-awareness and intuition.”
