Parsons hosted its latest MFA fashion show on Monday at the Brooklyn Museum, bringing together 15 students who showed diverse, abstract collections as part of their “We Dem Kids” activation.
“This is such a special group of students because they’re telling such important narratives through their collection,” said Ben Barry, dean of fashion at Parsons. “Whether they’re drawing from their lived experience, whether it’s a larger commentary on the world or whether their collection is really about the process and making — these collections tell stories. These are also collections that have been thought about and conceptualized for two years of their graduate degree, so these are also very meaningful pieces of work because of the time that they’ve put into developing them.”
The 15 designers included Anna Roth, Chang Liu, Fabiola Soavelo, Hsiao-Han Kuo, Mel Corchado, Nan Jiang, Natsumi Aoki, Pipenco Lorena, Ren Haixi, Siri, Story, Sunny Ning, Yamil Arbaje, Ying Kong and Yu Gong. Each designer showcased several looks that ranged from contemporary fashion to avant-garde looks.
On the contemporary side, many of the designers created new takes on suiting, such as deconstructed looks and cropped silhouettes, as well as knitwear designed with bold graphics.
Other designers went more abstract with their collections, such as one designer who sent models down the runway in heavily draped hooded garments with large eyes.
“You’ll see it’s a range — there’s not a central theme that unifies them,” Barry said about the collections. “Really each of [the designers] has honed their own creative voice and vision and been encouraged to develop that over the two years. I’m excited that they’re able to present together as a group and at the Brooklyn Museum. I think this is a really important moment for Parsons to be part of New York Fashion Week, and to be a part of the Brooklyn community and, of course, to be a part of the fashion industry.”