On April 2, the Chicago Fashion Foundation held its eighth annual fashion show and design competition, titled “A City Within a City,” at the Chicago Cultural Center. This year, the competition required fashion design students to create a look inspired by the Merchandise Mart. Fourteen competitors from Columbia College Chicago, Harper College and the School of the Art Institute each took that inspiration in a unique direction. From elegant evening wear, to experimental designs, the show displayed a variety of surprising and innovative pieces. Previous winners of the competition, including Elena Bobysheva, Elizabeth Smith, Robert Noia and Project Runway star Alexander Knox also showed collections.
Stephany Munoz from Harper College won first place with a dramatic, all-black gown heavily embroidered with pailletes. Photo: Dean Reid.
Hannah Linder from Columbia College Chicago won second place with a bionic-looking dress made of strips of silver plastic. Photo: Christopher Macsurak
Myra Chung from Harper College won third place with a stunning green and black dress made with thin fiberglass rods. Photo: Dean Reid
Second City Style Intern Kelcie McCurdy was also among the competitors and showed a structural cropped jacket with an origami pencil skirt. Photo: Alex Friedland
Project Runway Season 13 star Alexander Knox, who won the CFF competition last year, presented his latest collection during the show. It included cocoon-shaped wool coats and slinky knitwear dresses. Photo: Christopher Macsurak
