Academy of Art University School of Fashion

Join us tonight at Runway of Pride at the Glide GLIDE in San Francisco! San Francisco Pride 🏳️‍🌈❤️
Featuring the looks by our students and graduates, winners of Halston design challenge Eva Kam Eva Kam, Mimi Shen MIMI, and Mical Rezoni Mical Rezoni
With Love Halston
Academy of Art University AcademyU3Ddesign ArtU Campus Life

EMOTIONAL RAWNESS

PATRIC YIKUN WANG, MFA COSTUME DESIGN

Patric Yikun Wang’s collection explores the tension between concealment and revelation in q***r experience through large, organic silhouettes in black, grey, and blue, constructed from rigid horsehair. Structure becomes language, turning what is typically hidden into something visible, expressive, and charged with meaning.

“By romanticizing what is usually unseen and structurally supportive, I parallel q***r experience itself—often hidden, restrained, or internalized. The work becomes both a material experiment and a personal statement about visibility, gender expression, and the freedom to reveal what has long been kept inside.”

In his resourceful nature, Wang used defunct screens from the fashion department’s old building before the department switched to hosting classes at 180 New Montgomery. “In my process, I weave the other stuff. Silk screen printing is a two-dimensional process, so I really wanted to highlight the weaving on a screen making it three-dimensional. I come from costume [design] and blend in these inspirations for a stand-alone art.”

His influences range from gallery visits to wire-framing and medical imagery. “I’m thinking about X-ray pictures as a metaphor for what’s inside.” Through layered materials, transparency, and structure, Wang reveals what is often concealed—transforming internal experience into art form.

Words by Bea Pritchard, MA Fashion Journalism, read full story at

Designer portrait by Brook Gibson

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:
Art Direction:

Models:
Ava Scot-Hunter,
Nalayah Carminer
Jackson Wright

MUA’s: .by.torrey

THE BIRTH OF VEA
The multifaceted world of fashion blends personal expression with creative rebirth. Eva Kam (Tsz Ching Kam), MFA Fashion Design, channels her transformation from accountant to designer through The Birth of Véa, a collection inspired by Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.

She considers not only form, but function—“ready to wear, commercial sense, daily life”—while maintaining her own aesthetic. Her training in math informs her process. “Sewing is all about matching the length. It’s all about calculation,” she explains.

This precision appears in her use of fabrics and construction. Geometric foundations—squares and triangles—are softened through draping, creating movement within structure. Knitwear remains lightweight, defined by clean lines and symmetry. Structured silhouettes introduce a sharp, architectural quality, giving each piece a distinct edge.

The Birth of Véa captures a pivotal moment. It reflects Eva’s evolution as a designer, translating personal transformation into wearable form. “It represents a transformation of self,” she says. Looking ahead, she envisions “continuing to evolve and create work that connects with people emotionally… refined, timeless, and thoughtful, showing that fashion can be powerful without being loud.”


Words by Biana Jean-Baptiste, BFA Acting, read full story at
Designer portrait by Brooke Gibson

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:
Art Direction:
Models:
Nalayah Carminer
MUA’s: .by.torrey

SUBSTRATA

Collaborative collection in US NOW 2026 runway show:
MIRELLA ROMANO, BFA FASHION DESIGN mirellamadeit
KATELYN KNAPP, BFA FASHION DESIGN
JUSTIN FEDERICO, BFA FINE ART

From the high deserts of Albuquerque, New Mexico, to San Francisco, Mirella Romano continues to knit, sew, and design her way forward. Raised by an artist—her mother—she grew up in a home that valued creativity and encouraged experimentation.

Collaboration expanded the project’s depth. Justin Federico, BFA Fine Art, hand-dyed and printed fabrics inspired by Sutro Baths—high tides, eroded rocks, algae-covered shores—using techniques that layered silk-screening with textured materials resembling natural sediment. Katelyn Knapp, BFA Fashion Design, developed crystallization techniques, merging structured sparkle with fluid movement through extensive material experimentation.
Together, Romano, Federico, and Knapp allowed Substrata to evolve organically, mirroring its concept.

“When people see Substrata, I hope they feel intrigued and a little grossed out” reflects Romano on unveiling the collection. “Maybe it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but it is still there, and you can’t ignore it. The people who resonate with it will find something beautiful in it.”

Courtesy of the Designers, read full story at

Designers portraits by Adam Goerlich

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:
Art Direction:

Models:
Nalayah Carminer
MUA’s: .by.torrey

AATTAM - THE SACRED REVERIE
Raised in Dubai, Fiza Riyas approaches this work from an outside perspective. Her connection to India had been distant, shaped by time abroad. Attending Theyyam—after seven years away—became a point of return, guided by her uncle and rooted in rediscovery.

Her collection translates that experience into form. Draped, pleated, and corseted garments are constructed using zero-waste methods, balancing opulence with intention. Movement is central. “It’s either going to look better or the same… anyway it forms, it will still be beautiful.”

Riyas designs with the body in motion. She wants her models to “be able to move like those dancers,” referencing the adaptability of classical garments. “Even as classical dancers, we have those pleats embodied to allow squatting, sitting, or stretching positions. ‘Mudras’—we call them in my culture. That notion has been there from the start.”


Words by Brie Parker, BFA Fashion Communication and Styling, read full story at

Designer portrait by Adam Goerlich

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:
Art Direction:
Models:
Nalayah Carminer
Jackson Wright
MUA’s: .by.torrey

WHERE FABRIC LEADS
For designer Laura Qi, MFA Fashion Design, fashion did not begin with a sketchbook. It began with yarn between her fingers, woven textures, and the slow transformation of material into form. Rather than designing on paper, Laura lets textiles lead, shaping garments through touch.

Through weaving, knitting, and draping, her work explores texture, movement, and the uncertainty of handmade craft. The result is raw and organic, each piece carrying the labor behind it.

For this collection, she abandoned illustration entirely. “I didn’t have illustrations. That gave me more freedom because I didn’t know how it would look when it finished.” Without that frame, Laura responded directly to the textiles, accelerating the process. “After I had all the fabric pieces, it only took about twenty minutes to drape and about two hours to sew.”

Alongside weaving, she constructed knitted garments from triangular panels rather than squares. “Squares feel too technical. Triangles give me freedom.” The shift introduced movement and irregularity, allowing garments to respond to the body. “When I drape on a dress form and then put it on a model, it looks totally different. Clothing is meant to be worn on real bodies.”


Words by Matthew ‘Chase’ Baldwin, BFA Fashion Communication and Styling, read full story at

Designer portrait by Brooke Gibson

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography: .hrn
Art Direction:
Model: Ava Scot-Hunter,
MUA’s: .by.torrey

THIRD CULTURE EXPERIENCE: BUILDING RESILIENCE AND SELF-TRUST
Claire Leung designs at the intersection of identity, movement, and emotion, where clothing becomes both structure and story. A multidisciplinary MFA Fashion Design graduate, she brings an unexpected pairing to her practice: a background in psychology and experience in UX/UI design.
As an Asian American born in the United States and raised through constant travel, Claire’s perspective is rooted in the fluidity of the third culture experience. Her references move across borders—sports arenas, music scenes, and everyday moments—absorbing global influences that resist singular definition. “I naturally approach fashion through a human-centered lens,” she says, “blending analytical thinking with creative intuition to create work that feels both structured and emotionally grounded.”
Her graduate collection begins at the intersection of culture, sports, and music, tracing how these forces shape identity and community. What started as observation evolved into something more personal: a narrative she describes as her own “comeback season,” centered on resilience, self-trust, and renewal. Fabrics sourced during a trip to Asia anchor the collection materially, while silhouettes reflect an American, Western sensibility. “It’s not an ‘either/or,’ but an ‘and,’” she explains, an intentional merging of both sides of her identity.
Performance references surface through tailored structure and elevated detailing, creating garments that carry both energy and control. Each look is designed with the wearer in mind—not just how it appears, but how it feels. “I design pieces that empower the wearer to feel confident in their own skin and exude a magnetic aura,”

Words: courtesy of the designer. Read full story at  and in ArtU News Spring 2026.
Designer portrait by Brooke Gibson.

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at   on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:   
Art Direction: 
Model: Nalayah Carminer
MUA’s: .by.torrey

BODY EMERGENCE: WHERE PRECISION MEETS ADAPTABILITY
Lorrie McPheeters, MFA Fashion Designer, transitioned into fashion through costume design, later working as a seamstress and dressmaker for a wedding planner. Seeking to refine her technical foundation, she earned two associate degrees in Fashion from West Valley College before entering the graduate program at the Academy of Art University. There, she began defining her voice. “The Academy has helped to push boundaries and finally finding who I am as a designer and what I can bring to the Fashion Industry.”

Her graduate collection reflects that clarity: tailored garments built on simple, deliberate lines, where classic fabrics meet modern manipulation. Inspired by San Francisco, she defines her aesthetic as “North Left Style,” a sensibility rooted in innovation and the elevation of the familiar. Structure becomes a tool for transformation. Through asymmetry and precision, her garments create optical illusions that lengthen the body and animate movement.

Central to the collection is her concept of “body emergence.” Rather than forcing the body to conform, her designs adapt to it. “The clothes are designed to allow for regular changes in a human body,” Lorrie explains. Engineered mechanisms within each garment allow for flexibility across size ranges, embracing the body’s natural shifts.


Words: Courtesy of the designer, read full story at

Designer portrait by Brooke Gibson

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:
Art Direction:
Model: Nalayah Carminer
MUA’s: .by.torrey


fashion

FROM BIOLOGY TO FASHION
Jimena Villalobos, a BFA Fashion Design major, fuses science and weaving in her final collection.

Her graduate collection, centered on worms and ecosystems, merges science and design. The idea emerged from research on artificial terrariums used to study plant and organism growth. Jimena discovered the essential role worms play in sustaining these systems. She then focused on sea worms, drawn to their bright colors, unusual textures, and overlooked beauty.

The collection combines biology and fashion through knitwear. Using specialized machines, she experiments with techniques such as holding, laddering, and machine-knit plating. These methods create layered textures and allow her to work with silky threads, soft mohair, metallic yarns, and vivid, almost fluorescent colors inspired by nature. Each garment is constructed from multiple individually made pieces, assembled to suggest movement and evoke environments like flowing water.

The process is labor-intensive. One of the most complex pieces, a sweater dress, requires panels that each take five to six hours to produce. “There are times when I think: why did I choose to work with knitwear?” Jimena says with a laugh. “But in the end, all that effort is worth it.”


Words by Maria ‘Cris’ Pina BFA Fashion Design, read full story at

Designer portrait by Adam Goerlich

See MFA and BFA Fashion Design senior thesis collections at on May 7 or watch the livestream at 7 PM Pacific at AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Lookbook credits:
Photography:
Art Direction:

Models:
Ava Scot-Hunter,
Jackson Wright

MUA’s: .by.torrey