The Department of Art and Design at Montclair State University proudly hosted the fashion show, L’Atelier Montclair: Threaded Awakening on May 1, 火狐体育, offering a vibrant showcase of student creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation. The event featured original collections developed in a range of fashion courses, culminating in a stunning display of work by independent designers.

The annual fashion show was produced and promoted by students enrolled in ARTX 400: Fashion Promotion, taught by Professor Carlos De Moya. As part of this studio course, students were responsible for planning and executing every aspect of the event—from developing a promotional strategy to coordinating show logistics and collaborating with apparel studio classes. Grounded in a study of fashion show history and its evolution, the students applied their understanding to create a dynamic live event, which was also documented in digital formats to extend its reach and impact.

Each segment of the show highlighted a different course within the fashion design curriculum:

• ARTX 120: Introduction to Apparel Construction presented “Seeking the Seam”, where first-year students explored the fundamentals of garment making through imaginative and skillfully sewn pieces.
• ARTX 226: Intermediate Apparel Construction introduced “Cutting the Canvas”, emphasizing technical precision and creative expression as students advanced their construction techniques.
• ARTX 332: Flat Pattern and ARTX 422: Draping were jointly represented under the title “Falling into Shape”, showcasing how structure and form evolve from two-dimensional design to three-dimensional execution.
• The show concluded with collections from Independent Designers, grouped under the theme “Awakened”, offering a powerful glimpse into the personal visions and refined artistry of advanced students preparing to enter the professional fashion world.

The event was a testament to the dedication of Montclair State’s fashion faculty and students, celebrating the intersection of education, expression, and design innovation.

The Guest Judges were Shirley Gomez, Kika Rocha, and Brian Sanchez.

Kika Rocha is a renowned Colombian journalist and fashion expert based in New York, where she is a lawyer and holds a master’s degree in Publishing from New York University. She was the longtime Fashion and Beauty Director at People en Español, and now returns as a beauty and style ambassador. Her career spans media roles on Univision, Telemundo, CNN en Español, and several fashion shows, along with collaborations with major global beauty brands.

Brian Sanchez is a 2022 graduate of Montclair State University with a degree in Fashion Studies and a minor in business. He works at Ralph Lauren as a Product Management Assistant for the Denim Division.

Shirley Gomez is a bilingual Senior Writer and Beauty Editor at HOLA! USA, where she passionately covers fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment topics. Her journalistic journey includes contributions to esteemed publications such as Oh! Magazine, OprahMag.com, BELatina, Latin Times, Listin Diario, and Medical Daily. Her diverse interests and extensive experience underscore her commitment to delivering engaging and insightful content to her readers.

In addition to the runway presentations, awards were presented by Dr. Abby Lillethun, the Art & Design Department Deputy Chair. The department awarded three academic scholarships of $3,000 each to outstanding juniors in the fashion program from the Katherine Hall Endowed Scholarship for Fashion Students with Excellence in Academic Achievement, recognizing the students’ dedication to the discipline. Those three recipients were Samantha Dellaterza, Genna Pascucci, and Samantha Tucholski. Also, graduating senior Dy’Aasia De Vine was recognized for her outstanding academic achievement, maintaining a near-perfect 4.0 GPA.

Awards were also presented to top students in each Fashion Design class, with the following recipients:

• ARTX 120: Malcolm Grant
• ARTX 226: Yamila Chege
• ARTX 322: Sofia Upegui
• ARTX 422: Dyana Najdi
• Independent Design: Liliana Perez

Special thanks go to the dedicated faculty, staff, and students of the School of Communication and Media, as well as the staff of Broadcast and Media Operations, whose collaboration was essential to the production of this event. We are also deeply grateful to the faculty and staff of the Department of Art and Design, Dean Daniel Gurskis of the College of the Arts, and Professor Christopher Kaczmarek, Chair of the Department of Art and Design, for their ongoing support. Additional thanks to Art and Design faculty members Dr. May Chae, Professor Sherita Cuffee, Professor Chelsea Harriman, Professor Helen Castillo, Professor Pamela Snyder-Gallagher, and Professor Carlos De Moya. Without the contributions of these talented and generous individuals, this show would not have been possible. Congratulations to all!