It is truly inspiring to see student artwork in a public place—let alone in the middle of Copley Place for everyone to see. Surrounded by Dior, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, the Thinking in Time Exhibit showcases thirteen incredible concept collection pieces by fashion design students from MassArt. These students used two sources of inspiration pulled from the extensive fashion archive at MassArt for inspiration for a new, modern and fresh design. These were displayed in Copley from September 29th-Oct 12th, 2023. The pieces were being presented on a black platform to raise the garments to eye level. There were no boundaries between the audience and the collection, this allowed me to get close and personal; I was able to look at all of the fine details. Also, you could walk around the platforms which allowed the audience to see the back of the looks as well. All of the designs were incredible. Here are a few that jumped out at me: 

The first one that caught my eye was by Tayna Kaya (@tanyakayaa on Instagram). For inspiration, she used 1980’s Alred Fiandaca silk chiffon dress and coat, and from the same time period, she used a Pauline Tigère piece. She took pieces of visual information from the garments such as the print. Tanya added her own creative spin by adding playful textures and new textiles. The pattern in her garment highlights seductive places on the body. She breaks up that gorgeous glistening textile by rich airy black fabric. By adding the black fabric in between, it breaks up the rectangles of the garment by directing the eye to more organic gathered fabric. Overall, this piece perfectly marries Tanya’s creative mind and the two 1980’s looks. Tanya was also awarded the 2023 Alfred Fiandaca Scholarship for this garment through the MassArt Fashion Department.

Another look that caught my eye for its interesting silhouette was a garment designed by Bao Vuong. The two looks that he pulled from the archive were a 1850’s Victorian evening dress bodice and a vintage bustle gown. Bao predominantly sourced inspiration from the silhouettes of the garments. He added his own creative spin by selecting a youthful stripe patterned textile for the majority of the piece. The stripe and the unique bodice wasn't the only striking feature: Bao also constructed a chinese hanfu style wrap skirt. All of the pleats are folded so neatly and add a great balance next to the striped pattern. The bodice is also fully lined and is supported by removable 3D printed boning. This garment has amazing craftsmanship. Bao not only blended different time periods seamlessly, he merged different cultures as well. 

An additional garment that piqued my interest for it being so different from the original inspiration was made by Aidyn Alverez-Curlee (@_akuamoda on Instagram). Aidyns inspiration for their garment was a Shirley Willett Ball Coat, a black Rei Kawakubo dress, beetles and armadillos. In their design, they played with different weights and types of the fabrics. They also added detailed panels along the arms to portray protective feeling to the garment's look. Aidyn added a snap buckle, drawstring pockets, and a hood to create a very functional design. The all black look and geometric shapes make it feel very futuristic. Overall, it is impressive to add four components seamlessly into one modern streetwear garment piece. 

While I was admiring and analyzing the amazing designs, I noticed the shoppers walking around the exhibit. Eager and curious people were approaching designs. I heard someone say “Oh look! It's MassArt!”, then proceeded to take photos. MassArt is located on the outskirts of the heart of the city. The public knows we are here, however they might not know what we produce. Having student work in a public space is a great way to show the public local art made by future artists. Some people's bodies walked past yet their eyes were glued to the collection. The concept collection designs look familiar yet different. They are updated, modern, fresh, and more importantly, the future of design.