Designer Confidential: Classic with a Twist

Designer Confidential highlights the work of SU's greatest fashion asset: its student designers.

Kitiya Phongsuwan’s senior year has kept her busy thus far, and things are only picking up. This semester, the fashion design major has been hard at work designing three collections, one of which she will create in the spring.

The first, entitled “Fata Morgana,” is inspired by nightmares, mirages, and dreams. The mostly black collection has a sculptural feel and is Phongsuwan’s favorite of the three.

“I like a classic look, like the little black dress or a tailored suit. But I want to make it ...more unique, so I do a lot of cutouts and asymmetry... I’d call it ‘classic with a twist’.”

The aesthetic of Isabella Duncan, founder of modern dance, is the main focus of her second collection. “She was a quirky free spirit, so it’s very free-flowing, with a lot of movement.”

Phongsuwan describes her final collection, which she’s still designing, as a collection of “opposite[s].” “It’s east vs. west, boy vs. girl, construction vs. deconstruction. It’s a very androgynous, raw line that is erasing gender [boundaries].”

This year, Phongsuwan has contributed pieces to several on campus fashion shows. “I had a pair of pants in the Caribbean Student Association’s show, and they were the [most complex] thing I’ve ever made. They were [sewn from] a 22-piece pattern, which is very difficult. I’m very proud of them.”

Most recently, she had two designs from her “Arabian Nights” collection featured in the Fashion Association of Design Student’s (FAD’s) fashion show last Saturday.

Dream Job: To be a creative director at an established house, “like the next Karl Lagerfeld.”

Why you should look out for her: “Over the years my style and aesthetic has grown, and it will continue to grow. 10 years from now it could be totally different.”

Designer Confidential: “I’m very passionate about my work and I strive to be well-rounded in everything that I do. I want to incorporate not only the right side of my brain, but the left side as well...that’s what pushes you forward.”

-Julie Kosin

Designer Confidential: Planning on fame

Designer Confidential highlights the work of SU's greatest fashion asset: its student designers. 

Lizzie Rosin is no joke.

There’s a typical identity attached to the slew of trendy fashion design students on Syracuse University’s campus and you’ve probably become accustomed to it. If you think you’ve seen it all, you have yet to meet Lizzie Rosin. This freshman, upon our questioning her passion for fashion, bluntly responded: “I want to be a FAMOUS fashion designer!”

 

Aspiring (famous) designer Lizzie Rosin

If you’ve never met her, you may want to change that and ask for an autograph while you’re at it. Lizzie has her mind set on some big goals with a motivation greater than the norm. In addition to her drive, she also has an entrepreneurial mindset. Alongside her in-class projects and sewing schoolwork, Lizzie mends holey clothing for her poor college friends. In class, she advertises her “jean mending business” (half jokingly, but she’s actually quite serious). 

With no previous internship experience, she still managed to help Timmay Westbrook with his on-campus show last fall and is also a member of FADS. Lizzie looks up to designer labels such as Marc Jacobs, Chloe, and Chanel; reads WWD daily, and she claims to find inspiration in all aspects of life. She channels all of her inspirations into her work. For her final project last semester, Rosin created a pair of innovative pants modeled after the Washington Bridge. 

 

The femme fatale hippie

Rosin is interested in ready-to-wear clothing for her future design endeavors, which she hopes will be very entrepreneurial. She likes “slightly androgynous but still feminine” styles and is fascinated with the femme fatale and the hippie.

Lizzie has great ideas and a lot of optimism for her future, so get to know her while you still can!

- by Danielle Haygood

Designer Confidential: First-year designer's passion

Designer Confidential highlights the work of SU's greatest fashion assest: its student designers. 

First-year Fashion Design major, Shaina Mendelaw is proof that her “lower classman” rank doesn’t mean she is not already a thriving designer full of creative ideas. Her passion for fashion is already pulling her in the right direction: Shaina is making a big impact by being heavily involved in SU’s fashion design program and the corporate fashion world.

First-year Fashion Design student Shania Mendelaw

Arriving at SU this past fall, Shaina became a member of FADS, the Fashion Association of Design Students. She helped put on the Parent’s Week Fashion Show last October, which featured one of her pieces was: a sexy black pencil skirt.  

Her latest internship at Marc Ecko’s studio in NYC played a major role in her designs and student work. Last summer, Shaina interned for Marc Ecko’s handbag division and worked under Lela Listo, who now works for Kathy Van Zeeland. Taking Listo’s instruction, she learned a lot about the industry and how to create successful aesthetics. 

She prepared bags for photo-shoots, took photographs and documented specs of the bags and switched out the showroom displays daily, depending on the clientele. Macy’s, Target and other large department stores carry the Marc Ecko handbag line.  

Shaina was also responsible for designing Marc Ecko’s Buyer’s Guide for the stores carrying Ecko at the time. It’s no surprise that this aspect of her internship is closely related to the objective of her favorite class this semester: Visual Thinking. 

In Visual Thinking, Shaina is allowed to experiment with her creative skills by designing inspiration boards and mock fashion lines. She firmly believes that interesting visual lay-outs are a large part of the world of fashion and exist as little pieces of art. 

Shaina’s passion and achievements show that upperclassmen are not the only successful and established fashionistas on campus. SU’s fashion design program is full of them—from first year to final collection! 

Her Dream job: To design evening-wear for elite clientele attending red-carpet events; self- employed.

Designer Confidential: Shaina believes that “passion is essential” in the fashion world. She is a passion fanatic when it comes to clothes, colors, and fabrics and claims that enthusiasm is necessary to survive in this industry; and it’s clear she has lots of it.

- by Danielle Haygood