Evening wear that speaks of “luxury.”
A work inspired by the value of friendship.
Clothing that provides commentary on disabilities and deformities.
Customized solutions for sports teams practicing in cold environments.
These are just some of the fashion statements Cornell Fashion Collective’s undergraduate designers will be making at the group’s 40th annual spring runway show, which will be held in Barton Hall at 7 p.m. on March 2. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $10 for the general public and $25 for friends and family. VIP seating is already sold out.
After the disruptions caused by the pandemic saw the 2020 show cancelled, the 2021 show online-only and 2022 making history as the only CFC runway show to be held outdoors, this will be the second consecutive show to return to the traditional Burton Hall venue, and organisers are hoping to restore stability to the event, which is a benchmark for dozens of Level 1-4 designers aspiring to a career in fashion.
Cornell Fashion Collective Board Chair Anna Parske (Class of ’24) hosts a CFC creative team meeting in Martha Van Rensselaer Auditorium. The 40th annual CFC Spring Runway will be held in Barton Hall on March 2 at 7 p.m.
“We’re kind of going back to the roots of CFC,” said Anna Perske, Class of ’24, a fashion design management major and president of the organization. “This is our 40th annual show, so it’s a big milestone for us.”
The group was founded in 1984 as the Cornell Design League by Onslow Harrington (Class of 1988) and Laura Russell (Class of 1988), and renamed the Cornell Fashion Collective in 2011. CFC’s advisory faculty member, Kim Phoenix (Class of 1912, M.A. 1918), a senior lecturer in the Department of Human-Centered Design in the School of Human Ecology (CHE), has a long history with the club, having worked in the costume shop for the School of Arts and Science’s Department of Theatre more than 25 years ago.
She first joined the club as an undergraduate in 2010 and has served as advisor since 2019, succeeding her mentor, CHE Senior Lecturer Anita Racine (Ph.D. ’96).
“I love the inclusivity of not having to be a fashion major to get into this program,” Phoenix said. “CFC is dear to my heart, and continuing Anita Racine’s tradition of perfection and attention to detail is something I hold dear to my heart.”
Now in its 40th year, the show will include some throwbacks.
Parske said this year’s setup at Burton will be more intimate compared to last year’s, when the runway stretched about three-quarters of the length of the indoor track. In 2024, the runway will be shorter and will be complemented by a raised stage.
“We’re looking to have a more enhanced show experience,” said Mattie Nguyen (Class of ’25), a fashion design management major and CFC’s creative director. “I think everyone is looking forward to going back to where the show began.”
Angela Lan ’24 is working in a design studio in the Human Ecology Building creating her own line for the Cornell Fashion Collective’s spring runway show. Lan also serves as design director for the third and fourth floors.
For Angela Lan, 24, CFC’s Level 3 and 4 design director and one of around 50 designers launching a clothing line, the excitement also comes from taking a big step towards a career in fashion.
“Presenting my graduate collection will be a defining moment for me,” said the fashion design major, whose line of artisanal eveningwear is called Ebroisan (dazzling) and embodies a philosophy of luxury. “It’s the culmination of my Cornell experience and represents the unique perspective I’ve developed as a designer.”
Ashlyn Lee, 24, a fashion design major, said her collection was a tribute to her friends both inside and outside of CFC.
“I am surrounded by smart, caring people who make life a wonderful experience,” said Lee. “My work is inspired by the relationship between clothing and a comfortable, confident attitude. I wanted to create clothes that would make the wearer feel the way spending time with friends makes me feel.”
Lee said she appreciates the professionalism the creative process fosters: “The show is a great way to keep myself accountable for getting my portfolio work done on time,” she said.
Mia Bachrach ’24 has a model try on one of her designs in preparation for the CFC runway show on March 2 at Barton Hall.
For fashion design major Mia Bachrach, 25, her collection, “Bound to Absolute Malformation,” focuses on her disability.
“My collection is a commentary on disability and questions whether medical clothing, which seeks to return us to normality, can be a tool in beauty and fashion,” she said. “It’s a reflection of my life living with a chronic illness and how I can use my disability and all the tools that come with it as inspiration.”
Beckett Fine, Class of ’24, a fashion design major and CFC’s director of merchandising, was inspired by the Cornell student-athletes who prepared for their sports in the winter weather, focusing on rowing, football, soccer and lacrosse.
“After enduring three harsh winters at Cornell, I began to wonder how players survived sub-zero temperatures during the season,” Fine said. “Through numerous interviews, I learned that many teams did not have the proper equipment for such harsh conditions. This realization prompted us to completely redesign our players’ uniforms, prioritizing thermal comfort and uniqueness.”
Paske said that while the designers will take center stage on March 2, the show wouldn’t go on without the work of about 100 club members behind the scenes who “make the show happen.” From setting up and taking down Burton to securing sponsors and fundraising, it’s a massive undertaking.
“Logistically, there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes that nobody realizes on the day of the show,” Phoenix says. “There are so many unsung heroes who create beautiful stages for their fellow students to showcase their work.”
As always, designers at levels 1 and 2 have to design apparel to fit a given theme. This year’s theme for level 1 is “exposure,” which means either something related to photography or lighting, or something related to hiding or revealing the body, identity, etc.
Level two is “Obscura,” named after the camera obscura, an old photography technique that projects an image onto a wall through a small hole at the opposite end of a darkened room. Designers are encouraged to take inspiration from the role of framing and formatting to distort and transform images and ideas.
Some of the designers will bring their collections to the second annual Fashion & Design Expo ’24, hosted by the College of Human Ecology’s Department of Human-Centered Design. This year’s event will be held on April 11 at their home studio at 873 N. Broadway in New York City.
