Alumni

Grad's Team Has Made Over 12,000 Face Masks for Donation

Denise Ervin, a DEBUT designer who graduated from FIDM in 1989, is featured in an article entitled "Fashion in Disguise" on the future of face masks in The Reader, Nebraska’s alternative newsmonthly publication. A former Head Designer at the Omaha Playhouse, Denise is currently the Workroom Manager at the Fashion Institute Midwest, a nonprofit organization that nurtures aspiring designers. She and her team of volunteers have made more than 12,000 face masks for donation. 

According to The Reader, Denise’s foray into fashion happened in high school, starting as a Costumer at the Omaha Playhouse where she worked for 20 years, eventually becoming the Head Designer. She went on to study Fashion Design at FIDM, and participated in DEBUT. Writer Tim McMahan caught up with the Omaha resident to chat about fashion-conscious face masks in light of Covid-19. 

“Right now, everyone is wearing whatever mask they can find,” she told the publication, “but if this goes on, people will find a way to individualize masks, and they will become more of a fashion statement.” She shared that luxury brands have already begun designing their own versions that sell for upwards of $100 popping up in publications such as Vogue, GQ, and Elle. 

Learn more at deniseervindesigns.com.

Categories:  Fashion Design Alumni