Experimental designs took the NYU runway on Tuesday night, where the Program Board’s third annual fashion show took over a packed, dimly lit Eisner & Lubin Auditorium. Led by organizers CAS junior Farhan Sayeed and Gallatin junior Quinn Han, the event showcased six student-created collections that brought this year’s theme, “Everything in Pieces,” to life through deconstructed silhouettes and layered textures. Designers offered distinct interpretations of fragmentation and a world that, while coming apart at the seams, many still hold out hope for.

Tuesday’s show — the first with a specific theme — was driven by designers’ reflections on the current social and political climate. Han told WSN that the theme encouraged participants to engage with an environment that feels increasingly unsettled and divided. 

“Clearly, we are in a very politicized time both within and out of NYU,” Han, the Program Board’s co-chair, said. “When it came to picking the theme, we thought it was only right to differ from the past two fashion shows and tackle something more serious.”

That level of analysis was prominent on the runway, where some designers presented literal deconstruction through garments pieced together from layered fabrics and asymmetrical cuts, while others took a more conceptual approach with darker color palettes and styling evoking dystopia.

Steinhardt sophomore and designer Isla Day’s collection leaned post-apocalyptic. Comparing their designs to films such as “Dune” and “Star Wars,” they used scrap-like fabrics to mirror what they viewed as the world’s sense of disorder. Combining distressed pieces and streetwear influences, the looks stood out with their earthy palettes — evident in hoods, fur leg warmers and detailing reminiscent of ash brushed across fabrics for a worn, rugged feeling.

“I hope that people are excited to see this kind of streetwear that’s so fun and a little weird and new, but also understand the theme with these clothes,” Day said. “I’ve never done anything like this before — seeing everyone’s looks and having a sort of community in this space together as we’re getting ready together and meeting each other. Yeah, it’s really nice.”

Other designers, like Parsons School of Design student Kade Beckham, crafted a punk-chic aesthetic, combining structured corsetry with asymmetrical layering. For his collection, Beckham hand-stitched and individually spray-painted polka dots, resulting in an outfit marked by a fitted bodice paired with a flowing, high-slit skirt. Scattered black dots and draped black fabric added contrast and movement to the look.

Designer Anh Pham’s collection was especially memorable. The Fashion Institute of Technology student drew inspiration from Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa’s wire-based sculptures to construct a dress from an estimated 8,000 paper clips. By using a rigid material to build something cohesive and intricate, Pham illustrated how separate pieces can come together to form a whole.

The show’s inclusion of other local schools brought a range of techniques and design perspectives to NYU, and allowed the designers to exchange ideas and learn new approaches to materials, layering and construction. 

“It’s fun to see what other people are working with and their design language,” Pham said. “Usually, I just stick to one palette. I use a lot of black or monotone, like silver, and it’s fun to see the way other people experiment with patterns and colors.” 

The event ended with a live performance by New York-based indie pop band Sex Week, which was selected by the Program Board for its alternative music that expresses how deconstruction can be characterized by both anxiety and beauty. 

“When thinking about what we wanted to convey for the show, we wanted our designers to produce something that they thought was troubled, but could turn into something beautiful over time,” Han said. 

Contact Rachael Khan at [email protected].