HCC and MFAH announce winners for annual Fashion Fusion runway competition
Apr 26, 2019
Houston Community College (HCC) and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), announced nine HCC fashion design students and alumni as winners of Fashion Fusion, an annual runway and design competition. The event, which took place the evening of Thursday, April 25, is the fifth annual collaborative competition hosted by the two institutions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Student winners will receive scholarships to the Glassell School of Art, the teaching institute of the MFAH.
The winners were selected among 24 finalists, all of whom were inspired by the exhibition “Vincent Van Gogh: His Life in Art” at the MFAH. Designers chose and were judged on four thematic categories from Van Gogh’s life: Inception, Awakening, Euphoria and Melancholy. Judges for the competition were Helga Aurisch, curator of European Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Ebele Iloanya, designer, MODChic; and Luisa Babarczy, an independent style editor and fashion consultant. The audience also had a chance to choose a winner in the competition.
Students winning first place awards were Tu Trong, Inception; Shanda Phillips, Awakening; Nghi Nguyen, Euphoria; and Jade Gillen for Melancholy.
First place alumni winners were David Valdez, Inception; Maria Hammond, Awakening; Mishelle Chayeb, Euphoria; and Inge Duran for Melancholy.
In addition, student Regina Vigil was the Audience Choice winner.
Fashion Fusion coincided with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), formally recognizing the partnership between HCC and the MFAH, which took place on Thursday, April 18, 2019. During that ceremony, HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado applauded the event as an ideal forum for the students’ creativity and design.
“We are so grateful to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for not only nurturing this passion year after year, but also offering each winner a scholarship,” he said. “We look forward to increasing our collaborative teaching and cultural activities.”
HCC Board Chair Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz introduced a video of the momentous occasion prior to the runway show.
Student and alumni designs will be on display at the MFAH through May 12, 2019, before touring retail venues and libraries throughout Houston and Harris County.