Fashion Design at Drexel University

Every spring quarter, our first-year fashion students take on a unique challenge in a specialized 3D design section. Students construct garments entirely from recycled or unused repurposed materials. The first project focuses on sustainable practices and unconventional resources, pushing creativity while reducing waste.

The Garbage Gala is a first-year student fashion show planned, produced, and run completely by Westphal students. From concept to runway, fashion students showcase how sustainability and fashion can coexist.

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Congratulations to Fashion Design student Jillian Fleishman on being selected as a finalist in the 3D Design category of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2026 Costume Art Student Fashion Design Competition!

Jillian’s design was chosen as one of only ten finalists for the 3D and her work was displayed at The Met during the College Night event hosted by The Costume Institute. Originally developed in the Fashion Design I course with faculty mentor Autumn Kietponglert, Jillian’s concept celebrated the disabled body through the story of Persephone while creating a garment that is fully adaptive for a wheelchair user.

The award for 3D Fashion Design was presented by acclaimed designer , while the award for 2D Fashion Illustration was presented by renowned fashion illustrator

We are incredibly proud of Jillian for this outstanding accomplishment and honored to see Drexel Fashion Design represented at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.



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For their final, students were challenged to illustrate three cohesive looks with the option of designing original garments in the drawing style (“hand”) of an iconic costume designer: Ruth E. Carter, Bob Mackie, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Christian Lacroix, Donfeld and Pablo Picasso.

Applying storytelling, character development, and performance context through illustration. From stage to screen to global tours, this semester’s concepts pushed a wide range of narratives and aesthetics—
✨K-pop demon hunters
✨Hamilton
✨Avatar: The Last Airbender
✨Swan Lake
✨Beyoncé tour concepts
✨The Sopranos
…and more.

Students explored how illustration becomes astorytelling tool, translating research, silhouette, texture, and movement into visually compelling costume concepts.

Thank you to our guest critic, Alisha Lawrence, who is a Assistant Costume Designer at Marvel Studios working Ruth Carter. A strong finish to the winter quarter and an exciting look at the next generation of potential costume designers!

Behind the Costumes of She Dances

Join us for a special guest speaker event with alumna & costume designer Brittany Ann Cormack, whose work brings storytelling to life on screen.

Brittany will share insights into her career in film, her experience designing for “She Dances” and what it takes to break into the costume design industry.

URBN 125
Thursday, April 2
4:00–5:00 PM

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of our own and go behind the scenes of a feature film!

CreativeCareers

Inside the Portfolio I Studio 

Juniors & 2nd-year grad students in Portfolio I studied garments by designers like James Galanos and Geoffrey Beene to inform construction, embellishment, print, and silhouette as they build curated collections for their final portfolios. 

This kind of hands-on research helps students develop: 
✔️ Design thinking 
✔️ Construction knowledge 
✔️ Visual storytelling 
✔️ Professional portfolios 

We believe great designers are built through experience not just lectures.