by isabel wortman
Upbeat. Bespoke. Revolutionary. Delicious. Exquisite. How the attendees of “The Debut” described this vibrant, edgy night in the heart of New York City’s Lower East Side. On a Saturday night on Suffolk Street, four recent fashion design graduates of the Fashion Institute of Technology debuted their thesis collections alongside a lively bunch of artists, creatives, industry professionals, friends, and family. Conclusive of a yearlong journey of creative ideation, process, and construction, this event was an evening to celebrate the relentless determination of these young artists.
photos by elizabeth smith
They transformed a lofty studio into an immersive runway and eye-catching gallery where each designer had their own space for their pieces, inspirations, and shoot images, showcasing the voice and flair of each collection. Teeming with creative energy, the event was pulled together with a full team of friends and family turned production assistants, bartenders, videographers, photographers, models, hair and makeup artists, and front-of-house workers. It was inspiring to see months of collaboration and preparation come together into one electrifying evening — creatives showing up to support other creatives, where every medium of art coincided. Designer Maya Cavounis said, “We are so lucky to be surrounded by so many artists that were willing to be a part of the night with and for us.” After seeing it come to life, designer Elizabeth Sennott added, “It feels crazy. We thought of it so long ago, and it’s just been a thing that’s been far in the future, and it’s finally here.”
Closing out a perfect spring day in New York, the event warmly welcomed attendees to mingle, connect, and prepare for the runway. Guests enjoyed small bites and drinks while enjoying DJ performances by Joc, and every detail was seamlessly integrated with the addition of custom programs, temporary tattoos, and stickers. As the sun set, the lights dimmed to reveal the runway, and you would have never known it was produced entirely by students. Not only was it visually elevated, but professional, intentional, and flawlessly executed. Designer Flora Davis harped in satisfaction, expressing that “...seeing it in motion, makes the work feel completed.” In agreement, Maya Cavounis remarked, “I think we all held our breaths when our collections went past the curtain, but it is the moment we, and everyone around us, waited and worked so hard for.”
This team of designers evokes the entrepreneurial spirit of New York’s fashion industry and the hustle it takes to create and share your art. As videographer Darian Royzen stated, “It’s so cool to see your friend work so hard day in and day out and watch their vision come into fruition in a project of such grandeur,” in regards to Elizabeth Sennott’s Digitalscape. The Debut’s namesake is representative of the designers’ first appearance, but the event’s success is proof that they’re just getting started. Reveling in their first moment together as creatives, designer Sophia Tech said with confidence that “it definitely won't be the last.” Guests lingered well into the evening, leaving inspired, proud, and hopeful for the future of the industry.
Full Interview with Designers - Elizabeth Sennott (Digitalscape), Sophia Tech (Samika), Maya Cavounis (12° North), and Flora Davis (Home/Sea Sick)
What was the most rewarding part about seeing it come together?
Elizabeth: “I think just seeing models rock my looks and feel good in them, and be like, ‘Oh my God, I want to wear this,’ it’s like ‘Okay, yeah. You’re doing something right.’”
Flora: “Having a model wear something you spent so much time and effort imagining, patterning, and sewing, and seeing it in motion, makes the work feel completed. It gives a finality and satisfaction that seeing it up on a form, or trying it on yourself, doesn’t really reward. It was so lovely getting to show our work on a runway, and to have a moment to celebrate with our loved ones, all our years of hard work in school.”
Sophia: “With all of this said, it makes me emotional to see how many people came together to make our dreams come true with this event, truly. One of the models, a friend Sona, came up to me while we were doing hair and makeup and asked how I felt about everything. I admitted I was overwhelmed but she pointed out that there was so much love put into this event that it would be apparent to our guests. I had a moment backstage after all the models had finished and my sister, Alyssa Tech, and my two best friends, Angelina Heng and Avery Mohan, ran back with me and we cried backstage before Angelina looked at me and told me to wipe the sweat off my face and go mingle. Each of us really had a community rallying around us to help set up and pack up, source, model, do hair, and organize. None of this would have been possible without the help of our friends and family truly. To see so many people rally to celebrate us was without a doubt the most rewarding part of the show.”
Maya: “There is so much that goes into putting a show together and so many people are needed to make it possible, all for this one moment of presenting our work. So many people supported us to make that one moment possible. So, for me the most fulfilling part was seeing our looks go down the runway. I think it is that exact point in time that everyone anticipates. It is when the pieces that you have thought about and stared at and redrew or resewed, conjured up in your mind and brought to life by our own hands, don't belong to just me or Sophia, Lizzie, or Flora anymore. I think we all held our breaths when our collections went past the curtain but it is the moment we, and everyone around us, waited and worked so hard for.”
What was the most challenging part about putting this event together?
Elizabeth: “Organization! There are so many moving parts. I feel like we all got a lesson in production and trusting each other to do our part. It’s just constant communication, and it was hard.”
Flora: “People are always the hardest part, we called in a lot of favors from family and friends (and friends of friends) to work and fund the event. It’s also difficult being both a designer and event planner at the same time; there was no good way to decide what needed to be prioritized as we got closer and closer to the day. Basically sleep was off the table. But I am proud of what we were able to pull off with such a small team!”
Sophia: “I think that the most challenging part about putting an event like this together was balancing executing it well while also needing to balance all of our other responsibilities with school. It was such a beautiful thing to see so many people that are important to each of us come together to make something so incredible, but it was also a bit difficult because we are young college kids with limited budgets and connections trying to bring to life a vision that in reality would be at a much higher price point.”
Maya: “The most challenging part about making The Debut come to life was each of us needing to be everything and everyone during the planning of the event. We are young and obviously don’t have all the money in the world, and shows are expensive enough for even the most established of brands. We had to spread ourselves out, take on the roles of ten people. To bring The Debut to life, at some point or another, we have each been a package designer, photographer, social media manager, event planner, and obviously fashion designer. With that said, on the day of, we were not alone for even a moment. That night could not have been possible without the contributions and time donated by our family, friends, models, and all of the creatives that helped bring our vision to life. We are so lucky to be surrounded by so many artists that were willing to be a part of the night with and for us.”
photos by olivia bokesch
What is your thesis collection inspired by?
Elizabeth: “My collection is inspired by technology and this world called Digitalscape. It's basically my reflection of how technology is kind of infused in all of our lives and every aspect of them, and I wanted to explore a physical manifestation of that.”
Flora: “My collection titled: Home/Sea Sick, is an attempt to understand and process my own feelings of moving away from where I grew up (Seattle) to New York. I try to tap into a feeling of change and impermanence through visually reflecting tides/sea foam in distressed and upcycled knits. I use driftwood beads collected from the beach by my old house, suspended from chainmail and grommet/carabiner inserts, as a means to literally carry around a piece of home. A feeling of disconnect and trying to fit in somewhere new is characterized by separating, styleable zippers that allow some pieces to fully zip apart, or to add slits that reveal under layers/skin.”
Sophia: “My thesis collection and the entirety of my brand is to honor my culture and my family. I wanted to showcase the beauty of Cambodian culture while also shining light on the resilience of my family immigrating to the US. This collection is my interpretation of Cambodian art, fabrics, and motifs blended together with traditional American styles and silhouettes. I incorporated reinterpreted Cambodian pleating techniques using more casual fabric. I really wanted to play with exaggerated silhouettes and unique fabric combinations to allow people to mix and match styles that are adaptable to their own personal style. Each garment holds a little piece of Khmer (Cambodian) culture while still being accessible for everyone to take part in. This collection is the starting point for my brand, Samika. I named my brand in honor of my Tuot, my great-grandmother, Samik.”
Maya: “12° North is an ode to those before me, their stories of home, and all that they have shared with me about our history. This study of my Nicaraguan heritage is rooted in the immigration of intricate Central American motifs, craftsmanship, and tradition. Inherited photos, heirlooms, and stories are the DNA of the immigrated nostalgia that grounds the fabric of not only my brand, 12 NORTH, but my being and that of so many children of immigrants. The very nature of 12° NORTH is rooted in preserving the sacred stories of places unknown to all except those who carry its history from generation to generation. Nicaragua is a place not known by the masses and much of our history is quietly preserved only within the homes of those who carry its lineage. Within our family albums, gifted to me by my abuelito, I unearthed a world of beauty from another time and place, unbeknownst to most, until now.”
If you could describe “The Debut” in one word, what would it be?
Elizabeth: “SICK.”
Flora: “Coalescent! Between us four designers, we all have different styles, visions, and worldviews, but we were able to somehow reach a consensus about what this event should be, and how we wanted our work displayed.”
Sophia: “I would describe it as a beginning. We really struggled with the name for our event, but we wanted it to show that this is our first moment to really share together as not only friends but designers and creatives, but it definitely won't be the last.”
Maya: “I would describe The Debut as riveting. We worked a countless amount of hours imagining, planning, and dreaming up the show, but you really never know how the night is going to go until it goes. As everyone piled into the venue to set up, you could feel the energy of chaos and excitement that is always backstage.”
What is something that you learned about yourself and your creative process while putting this event together?
Elizabeth: “Whoa, that’s a good one. About myself? Probably that I’m a control freak, but you have to let things go. I was just like, ‘This is the design, and this is what it's going to be.’ I feel like sometimes I put pressure on certain designs, but I just like it and it is what it is.”
Flora: “That next time, I am going to pay someone to organize this kind of thing for me! Everyone in our group had different skills and talents they were able to contribute to make everything work. But even with the four of us, we could have used a main event coordinator, or someone to keep things organized for us, while we did our creative work. It’s just a lot to juggle.”
Sophia: “Throughout this process I learned how much I really enjoyed being able to bring our creative visions from each of our collections into one tangible event where we got to execute so many details to truly make an experience. Something that I really adore with fashion is that it's not just about the clothes, it's about the community, the people and feelings that you are able to communicate through your work. This was such a creative process that went beyond creating our own clothes but curating food, music, and our art. Producing The Debut alongside everyone allowed me to go to the core of my designs and creative process to think about the environment we could create.”
Maya: “I learned to really savor the moments of the creative process before the show, creating the clothes. I have always loved planning events, creating a world in a space that is fleeting because the night must come to an end makes an event that much more special and in fashion it brings a collection to life, but creating garments, in retrospect, is sometimes a more meaningful experience. Creating the clothes, from idea to finish, is, yes, difficult and exhausting at times, especially when you are responsible for every last stitch, but I learned that it is the process that is at the core of my creativity and vision.”
photo by olivia bokesch
