Jessica Strohmeier



F.I.T. sophomore
Thousand Oaks, California
22 years old

"I think fashion is the individual's use of the body to convey a visual message through a unique appearance. Clothing contributes something important to fashion, but fashion is not just clothing. I think it is more. It’s how a person's utilizes things to affect their overall appearance, including non-clothing things like cell phones or cars. For designers, use of fashion models isn't just a way to display their work, but also a way of vicariously communicating through these models to the viewers.

What I like about fashion design is that explanations and reasons are not mandatory, nor is specific inspiration. Garments themselves aren't even mandatory. The only thing I see as necessary is a body to display/communicate something. Designing, itself, is an outlet for creativity. It is a visual depiction of thought processes; an excuse to bring art to life."

Jessica's collection: I thought it would be fun to do a collection based on a children's book. I chose to design my collection after my favorite, Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are. I thought some creative garments could be designed based on the illustrations and the idea of fuzzy creatures living freely in a whimsical jungle.

The clothing I designed make up a colorful, playful collection of soft and comfortable garments in jungle greens, purples, grays, and creams. Like the creatures in the book, my designs for this collection are whimsical and fuzzy. The garments are also versatile, because they can be costume-like, depending on the way they are worn.

What about Fusion are you most excited about? To have my collection, one that was free of any sort of guideline or restriction, and to share it with so many people.


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