Alumni

Watch FIDM's DEBUT Runway Show

Congratulations to our Advanced Study Fashion Design and Theatre Costume Design Graduates as they made their debut in the industry, in our livestreamed DEBUT Runway Show event on December 10th. In case you missed it, watch it here.

The DEBUT Runway Show features designs by graduating students in the Fashion Design program, as well as work from Interior Design, Digital Media, and Textile Design students. Hundreds of students apply to the exclusive Fashion Design program each year, but only ten are accepted. The event typically attracts thousands of viewers and concludes with the DEBUT Runway Show & Gala, a scholarship fundraising event. This year we hosted the event virtually.

It has been a year like no other and we could not be prouder of our students as they continue to create, inspire, and lead the way as the next generation of changemakers in the industry.

Advanced Study Fashion Design Students:
Robin Giles, Luis Mejia, Scarlett Dyer, Delaney Poe, Maryam Varshochi, Sakura Mizutani, Andrea Alarcon, Nadia Tymkowicz, Brenda Soehendra, and Meiliany Tjia

This year, our elite Advanced Study Theatre Costume Design Students created exquisite looks for the Italian opera Turandot:
Daniel Lim, Hailey Norsworthy, Julia Neumann, and Devert Monet Hickman

ADVANCED STUDY FASHION DESIGN

Robin Giles, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“The title for my collection is ‘1992’ and the initial inspiration was my interpretation of how the characters in the sci-fi novel Ubik, by Philip K. Dick, might have dressed. My pieces are meant to be casual athletic/leisure wear that is versatile and androgynous.”
Read our interview with Robin Giles here.

Luis Mejia, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“Certain garments, such as the Rose Jacket, the Dark Grey Lotus Jacket, and the Final Dress, are made completely by draping. ‘Silhouette of Nature’ features fabrics such as brushed poly twill, silk brocade, poly satin, poly double knits, and silk satin weave with direct print.”
Read our interview with Luis Mejia here.

Scarlett Dyer, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“My collection, ‘Nightshade Fairies,’ is inspired by beautiful moments that happen in the darkness of night such as the moon, stars, and the mysterious beauty of the forest. I was also inspired by fairy wings—they’re sheer and light—and many of my designs reflect this.”
Read our interview with Scarlett Dyer here.

Delaney Poe, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“My DEBUT collection is titled ‘Surfrider Way.’ I was inspired by the culture of vintage surf clubs, the atmosphere of the Jonas Brothers’ Happiness Begins Tour, and the mood of the Jonas Brothers’ ‘Cool’ music video.”
Read our interview with Delaney Poe here.

Maryam Varshochi, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“Because of my architecture and math background, I was inspired by geometric shapes and negative and positive space. I learned about op art, which is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions, often in black and white.”
Read our interview with Maryam Varshochi here.

Sakura Mizutani, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“Each person has a different way of thinking and feeling, everyone has the same shaped box, but inside of our box we store different experiences, save different memories, and we build our confidence and personality. I want to tell people that it is okay to be different from others through my collection, so I used a range of gray tones and designed different shapes to express individuality.”
Read our interview with Sakura Mizutani here.

Andrea Alarcon, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“‘Conscious Clarity’ is inspired by the modern woman today who dresses for herself. It’s functional and uncomplicated in an elegant way. I’ve taken fabrics such as wool gabardine, pleather, and a wide rib knit to redefine classic pieces in a new light.”
Read our interview with Andrea Alarcon here.

Nadia Tymkowicz, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“One day I came across an online documentary about escaramuzas, Mexican female equestrians. I was inspired by these women, who were fearless, confident, and bold. I decided to take the elements from this sport, as well as my Mexican heritage, to create my collection ‘Poderosa.’”
Read our interview with Nadia Tymkowicz here.

Brenda Soehendra, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“It is a Spring/Summer collection that tells a story about a luxury tropical vacation full of relaxation and splurging. I love traveling and exploring new places, and that’s also where my inspiration always comes from—different places across the globe I’ve been to and those on my bucket list.”
Read our interview with Brenda Soehendra here.

Meiliany Tjia, Advanced Study Fashion Design
“My collection is called ‘Femme Fatale,’ which is an enchantress or a woman who has the charm to conquer or defeat the man who gets entangled with her. But if you ask me what a real femme fatale in today’s world, I like to say that she is a very powerful and seductive, with both feminine and masculine energy.”
Read our interview with Meiliany Tjia here.

ADVANCED STUDY THEATRE COSTUME DESIGN

Daniel Lim, Advanced Study Theatre Costume Design
“Overall, the key colours of my costumes are red, blue, and gold. For Chinese, red means happiness and gold means royal. But in western culture, red means violence and blood. So I used lots of red to incorporate both meanings into my costumes.”
Read our interview with Daniel Lim here.

Hailey Norsworthy, Advanced Study Theatre Costume Design
“For my guard I wanted to make him look like he was someone who could fight when he was needed to. The vest is quilted and he has many armor pieces to show that he was a guard for Turandot. I put gold around the entire vest, and also a gold dragon on his chest.”
Read our interview with Hailey Norsworthy here.

Julia Neumann, Advanced Study Theatre Costume Design
"I created costumes for Pong, the Executioner, the Mandarin, and an Imperial Guard. Constructing the garments was challenging because I had to devise ways for the dancers to be able to quickly get out of the garments."
Read our interview with Julia Neumann here.

Devert Monet Hickman, Advanced Study Theatre Costume Design
“I exaggerated the proportions of shoulder to waist by creating an image of him always appearing to be sitting upon a throne. His costume consists of seven different styles of jacquard/brocade fabrics and beading.”
Read our interview with Devert Monet Hickman here.