Hillestad exhibition features student-designed garments

Husker student fashion designs are featured in “A Night on the Runway: Looks from the UNL Student Showcase,” on view through April 3 at the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery. The designs were created for a special showcase during Omaha Fashion Week.

The exhibition features 29 looks from 20 undergraduate and graduate students in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. It includes the 2020 Mary Mitchell Design Award-winning garments of Son Nguyen of Lincoln (first), Audrey Foster of Broken Bow (second) and Heather Striebel of Goodyear, Arizona (third).

For some students, the showcase was their first time seeing their work on the runway; for others, it was their second or third time.

“Every year I work diligently to create designs that I think exemplify my brand while also pushing myself out of my comfort zone,” said senior Mercedes Alvarez, “which is something I don’t think I would’ve done had it not been for the opportunity to walk in the show.”

The collaboration between Omaha Fashion Week and the TMFD department has proven fruitful for students.

“(Omaha Fashion Week) gives me an opportunity to learn how to present my work, connect with more people outside the program and enhance my relationships with professors and other students,” said sophomore Alex Scarpello. “I feel that being able to participate is an integral part of the TMFD program.”

The exhibition was curated by graduate students Bethany Kraft and Striebel.

Students with garments in the exhibition, listed alphabetically by hometown with their year in school, are:

Nebraska

• Broken Bow: Audrey Foster, senior

• Butte: Kelsey Sextro, senior

• Eustis: Hailey Ringenburg, senior

• Fullerton: Elle Lesiak, senior

• Lincoln: Son Nguyen, senior; Emily Pillard, junior; Alex Scarpello, sophomore; Erin Smith, junior; Joelle Tangen, junior

• Ogallala: Paris Brooks, junior

• Omaha: Mercedes Alvarez, senior; Erin Kelly, junior; Adriana Vang, junior; Aya Zacharias, junior

• Schuyler: Jennifer Lopez, sophomore

Elsewhere

• Goodyear, Arizona: Heather Striebel, graduate student

• Fayetteville, Arkansas: Rachel Wyatt, sophomore

• San Diego, California: Adria Sanchez-Chaidez, graduate student

• Andover, Kansas: Anna Kuhlman, graduate student

• Delhi, India: Parhidi Bisht, junior