Emerging student designers will bring fresh fashion takes to the runway at the 2024 Columbus College of Art & Design Fashion Show on Thursday, May 9, at 8:00 p.m. at Kemba LIVE! Twelve senior student designers from CCAD’s Fashion Design program will premier their senior collections that showcase innovative, future-forward, sustainable, and inclusive thinking.
This year’s designers embody the essential spark of creativity critical to Columbus’ culture, and are helping to enrich our city’s reputation as a leader in fashion and retail. “The 2024 show is an outstanding opportunity to see statement looks and inspiring work from up and coming voices that will shape our city’s creative future,” said Suzanne Cotton, CCAD Chair of Fashion Design. “Showstopping pieces in this year’s show not only showcase incredible technical skills in construction, pattern making, and interesting surface design, but also demonstrate the unique perspectives our student designers are bringing to the fashion industry.
”Congresswoman Joyce Beatty will serve as the show’s inaugural honorary chair, while the Key family of Donica, Keith, Daniella, Darienne & Keith Brandon will serve as co-chairs. All ticket proceeds from the CCAD Fashion Show support scholarships, a core component of CCAD’s current comprehensive campaign Here for Change: A Campaign for The CCAD Way. The campaign seeks to create new merit- and need-based scholarships to bring the most creative minds to central Ohio and help talented art and design students find success at CCAD and long after graduation.
Tickets can be purchased at ccadfashionshow.com. Explore our Fashion Design program or Master in Professional Studies in Retail Design, or learn more about CCAD at ccad.edu.
Meet the 2024 CCAD Fashion Show Designers
Sarah Allen
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Collection: Lustful Borealis
Three words to describe her collection: Structured, edgy, sexy
Find her online at: @sewingsarah_05
The tranquil, sublime, and euphoric nature of the aurora borealis served as inspiration for Sarah Allen’s collection Lustful Borealis, which features Allen’s own aurora-borealis inspired print on satin. Fiber optic fabric and batiked organza help communicate the deep sky and glistening stars. A transfer student, Allen left fashion school many years ago, but returned after reigniting her passion for design after designing an outfit for a friend. She hopes to become a technical designer and with time, start her own company.
Logan Baldauf
Hometown: Weirton, West Virginia
Collection: Kangaroo
Three words to describe his collection: Decayed, wistful, melancholic
Find him online at: @_glam_boyant_
Logan Baldauf’s fine arts background was influential in the creation of his collection Kangaroo. Baldauf enjoyed diving deep into fashion and fine art references from history, taking predominant inspiration from Salvador Dali’s depictions of Gradiva along with the artist duo known as 23 envelope (photographer/filmmaker Nigel Grierson and graphic designer Vaughn Oliver). The majority of the collection’s materials and color palette were driven by his decision to work with organic dye materials. Baldauf plans to continue honing his tailoring and corestry skills, with the ambition of developing a brand and design studio.
Natalie Carvajal
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Collection: Mourning Flowers/Flores De Duelo
Three words to describe her collection: Sentimental, classy, dimensional
Find her online at: @Fresanarly
Family roots run deep in Mourning Flowers/Flores De Duelo, the collection from Natalie Carvajal that pays tribute to her late grandparents Cresenciano Martinez and Natalia Galvan. In addition to making her grandparents proud, Carvajal hopes people feel joy when they see her looks, sharing the abundant use of color and flowers represent the vibrancy of her Mexican culture. Her own quinceanera piqued her love for fashion, noting it was the moment she decided she wanted to make elegant dresses for the rest of her life. Carvajal looks forward to continuing to help women find their dream dresses as a stylist, and hopes to own a wedding boutique in the future.
Dominic Ciucci
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Collection: Urchin
Three words to describe his collection: Architectural, textured, stark
Denim abounds in Urchin, a collection from Dominic Ciucci that works to elevate the perception of the iconic textile. Inspired by brutalism and deconstructivism, the collection explores unconventionality through textures, materials, and construction. Ciucci first pursued an architecture degree at The Ohio State University before enrolling at CCAD, noting his design process has changed from a strict and practical mindset needed for architecture success to something more explorative and organic. A recent Fashion Week Columbus scholarship recipient, Ciucci aspires to work in a couture atelier with the best brands, textiles, and seamstresses.
Jeremiah Graham
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Collection: 2RAW
Three words to describe his collection: Urban, flashy, stylish
Find him online at: @hbk_jg07
Streetwear comes to the CCAD runway through Jeremiah Graham’s collection 2RAW. Graham notes his inspiration was New York styles of outerwear and streetwear combined with his own style, with an emphasis on flashy details that will draw attention to the garments (expect to see rhinestone detailing and patches pop on black and white textiles). Graham shares he’s always enjoyed the mood boost from wearing a nicely put-together outfit, and hopes to help others achieve that feeling through the clothes he creates. Post-college, Graham hopes to land a job with a major streetwear brand.
Kendall Miller
Hometown: Hampstead, Maryland
Collection: Transparent Affection
Three words to describe their collection: Ethereal, classic, romantic
Find them online at: @ceaselessmedia
An internship with Columbus glass art leader Glass Axis fueled Kendall Miller’s collection Transparent Affection, in which glass accessories compliment white garments made with knit and natural fibers. After developing a love for fashion design through their high school fashion program, Miller had a desire to push their education further in a city that provided a new creative atmosphere. They plan to continue their creative pursuits centered on celebrating the intersection of glass and fashion, and hopes to become an assistant designer for a small upcoming brand.
Aireon Paramore-Wallace
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Collection: Journey Through The Air
Three words to describe her collection: Denim, artistic, fun
Find her online at: @a.p.w_airproductions
A love for paintings, streetwear, and denim inspired Journey Through the Air, a bright and colorful collection from Aireon Paramore-Wallace. From an impactful painting on a signature jacket to a logo worked into each garment, Paramore-Wallace celebrates her personal brand. Having completed a design and merchandising internship with Amazon Style, Paramore-Wallace aspires to start her own brand while continuing to work in the fashion industry to gain more experience.
Chawis Saelim
Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand
Collection: The Dark Side of the Moon
Three words to describe his collection: Deconstruction, reconstruction, lawless
Find him online at: @chawis_noir
Japanese culture and art, along with artists Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, were the inspiration for Chawis Saelim’s The Dark Side of the Moon, which explores the visual depiction of the mysterious side of the celestial orb. Saelim shares his vision through pairing innovative patternmaking with classic tailoring techniques. One of Saelim’s most memorable fashion career moments to date was assisting friend, mentor, and alum Crystal Zhang (Fashion Design, 2022) at New York Fashion Week. He plans to leverage both his classroom and professional experience to continue as an independent designer and artist.
Alyssa Scherer
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Collection: Gardenia
Three words to describe her collection: Glimmer, dreamy, other-worldly
Find her online at: @_ysssia_
Alyssa Scherer’s Gardenia was inspired by childhood nostalgia, which takes the form of whimsical, fairy-like designs with an alien-like edge in her collection. Notable design details include large ruffle sleeves, 3D flowers, and a healthy dose of glitter and shimmer. Handmade shoes and accessories will complement Scherer’s look, as well as the placement of unconventional materials, including broken CDs and clocks, amongst her garments. Scherer looks forward to exploring her creativity after graduating, with dreams of studying haute couture overseas.
Mya Staten
Hometown: Lancaster, Ohio
Collection: Ember
Three words to describe her collection: Feminine, edgy, bold
Find her online at: @Myastaten
A personal journey of resilience and perseverance is depicted through Mya Staten’s Ember. Staten shares she is proud of her professional and artistic progress over her years at CCAD, supported by family and friends who encouraged her to pursue her artistic passions (in fact, her sister Madi was influential in naming the collection!) Distressed, burnt-orange denim fabric ties all her garments together, while pops of red and brown along with chrome acrylic beads accentuate the looks. Mya notes she looks forward to continuing to surround herself with an inspiring and collaborative team post-graduation.
David Vega Jr.
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio
Collection: NeoTetra
Three words to describe his collection: Dystopian, oversized, dark
Find him online at: @dveg_
Through NeoTetra, David Vega aims to combat censorship, conformity, dehumanization, and propaganda. The collection is made primarily from deadstock material from Balenciaga; he notes using these leftover high-quality fabrics supports longevity and a vision toward the future of consumerism. An avid collector of sneakers as a child, Vega’s early love for shoe and clothing design eventually transformed into positions as a contract designer for UpWest and a color concepts footwear design intern for Brooks Running. A recent recipient of a national Fashion Scholarship Fund award, Vega looks forward to advancing his brand Color Theory while staying in the industry.
Charlotte Yan
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Collection: 37°2
Three words to describe her collection: Impactful, splendid, emotional
Find her online at: @yjcyjcyjccccc
Inspired by intimate relationships witnessed over the course of her life, Charlotte Yan aims to explore different forms of love with her collection 37°2. Soft silk, tulle, and organza fabrics are contrasted with hard-textured gemstone bead chains and metallic fabric. Capping off her collection with a show-stopping bridal gown, she hopes the collection will engage viewers in a collective exploration of love. Yan notes living and studying at CCAD have broadened her design perspectives and heightened her focus on diversity and innovation. She hopes to further her education in Italy with a master’s degree in fashion styling.
Interviews with student designers or CCAD Fashion Design faculty are available upon request, as are photos. Please contact CCAD Director of Communications Renee LeGendre at [email protected] with questions or media inquiries.
