The spotlight shone on Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ University's nationally ranked School of Fashion Friday night as the Awards Night Annual Fashion Show and School of Fashion Marketplace took the runway in Crawford Hall.
The public event — the marquee night of the school's week-long Fashion Week celebration — drew an audience of fashion enthusiasts, industry professionals and proud supporters for an evening that culminated with the school's annual student awards ceremony.
The show featured 173 looks by 48 student designers, chosen by a panel of industry critics and jurors. Collections spanned an impressive range of categories — childrenswear, knitwear, streetwear, avant-garde and more — before awards were presented across categories, including Best in Show, Innovation, Sustainable Design, Knitwear and Student's Choice, among others.
"The Annual Fashion Show is not just a showcase — it's a celebration of students' dedication, creativity and innovation," said Mourad Krifa, Ph.D., Margaret Clark Morgan director of the Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ School of Fashion.
The show was led by senior co-producers Ryan Gibson and Ana Beatriz Fonseca Ribas Martins, with the entire production — from design and merchandising to public relations and runway management — driven by School of Fashion students. Faculty members Joanne Arnett and Sue Yoder served as faculty co-directors.
Student designers were supported throughout the year by the school's 2025–2026 designers in residence: Lamont Holland, senior designer at UNTUCKit, and Lauren Grover, senior designer at Ralph Lauren. The 2026 BFA critic was Joslyn Fecik Allen, design director at OLIPHANT.
A Week of Fashion in Full Swing
Friday's Awards Night capped a remarkable week of student showcases. Fashion Week opened Monday, April 27, with the First Year Visuals Fashion Show, followed by the Knit Fashion Show and 3D Virtual Fashion Show on Tuesday, April 28. Wednesday brought the Study Away Fashion Show, featuring work influenced by visiting artist Adam Nathaniel Furman of the Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series. Thursday, April 30 — Opening Night — included a Behind-the-Scenes Show, a Portfolio Showcase, and the first runway performance of the Annual Fashion Show, open exclusively to Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹ students.
Earlier Friday, fashion icon Fern Mallis delivered a free public lecture at 11 a.m. in Rockwell Hall, giving students, industry professionals and enthusiasts a rare opportunity to hear from one of fashion's most influential voices ahead of her Hall of Fame induction.
Hall of Fame Gala Closes Out the Week on Saturday
Fashion Week isn't over yet. On Saturday, May 2, the School of Fashion will host its Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala, honoring Mallis as the 2026 inductee. A reception begins at 6:30 p.m. in Crawford Hall, with the runway show starting at 7:30 p.m.
Mallis joins a distinguished list of previous inductees that includes Kenneth Cole, Oscar de la Renta, Estee Lauder, Josie Natori and Leonardo Ferragamo, among others.
Á½ÐÔÉ«ÎçÒ¹'s School of Fashion ranks among the top 25 fashion programs in the world and No. 6 in the United States, with its graduate program ranked No. 5 nationally.
For more information about Fashion Week events, visit kent.edu/fashion.