The Best ofIntima & Swim Edit
FIT CONTEST - Student Design winners revealed!
20 September 2021
Although due to the anomalies of this year, the highly awaited annual Femmy Awards gala event had to be cancelled in 2021, the Underfashion Club, who hosts the event, nonetheless went ahead with its sponsorship activities and notably funding of the Studen
The prestigious contest features the work of Fashion Institute of Technology intimate apparel students. and this year’s theme was “Creative Comfort – The Reality of Today; The Dream of Tomorrow”.
The Best of Intima has co consistently supported the contest throughout the years and believes it is even more important to do so in these exceptional times of restrictions. As always, we were curious and excited to meet the winners of this year’s edition, not only to better understand their work and whether the current situation had in any way affected their creativity, but also find out what drives them and where they are aiming at… after all, they could well be the intimate apparel design stars of tomorrow!
LAUREN STAROBIN – 1st Prize
Lauren won the coveted 1st prize with her creation entitled “Retro Color Studio”. In her words: “As I was designing this collection at home during the eighth month of the pandemic, I found myself longingly considering the photographs of Bill Bernstein, a photographer who captured the communal euphoria of the disco era in New York city during the late 1970s. Mr. Bernstein’s images show individuals completely enthralled in dance and music.... I was really drawn to the fun and expressiveness captured in these images and how they depicted a world so opposite to what our world had become.“
What attracted you to this industry and what drives/inspires you?
I think I liked it because it required a more refined technique and engineering knowhow to master. I’d spent a lot of time studying art and conceptualizing design and wanted to learn the craft of fitting and enhancing the body with skill. I love math and I love art and I’m fascinated with how these two elements marry in intimate apparel garments.
What have you been doing since then and what are you doing now?
Since winning the competition and graduating from FIT I’ve been thinking of next steps (at times a bit obsessively). I started work as an intimate apparel designer and am moving into a new apartment. All of this change is really exciting and I’m very ready for it.
What are your hopes for the future?
I love designing. I love working with colors and fabrics and working with others to create something special. I just want to do that and get better and better at it.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LAUREN'S WORK
MEGAN IRMSCHER - 2nd Prize
Through her work “Reimagined Comfort”, Megan wanted to create a collection that reflects the movement of our everyday life: “From our home office, our makeshift home gym, to the numerous errands we run each week, I wanted this collection to have a mix and match capability. You can still feel sexy while being comfortable. The neutral colors combined with white evoke a relaxed and carefree style but is also very sophisticated.
What attracted you to this industry and what drives/inspires you?
I love everything about this industry, from the beauty of the fabric to the technical / detail-oriented nature of the pieces, to the challenge of creating something beautiful and unique. As a designer, I love to tell a story with every piece I create. I find inspiration in film, music, art history, and lastly, beautiful fabrications.
What have you been doing since then and what are you doing now?
I graduated from FIT in June and am currently working on several pieces for some clients while also interviewing with several companies for a full-time job in the intimate apparel industry.
What are your hopes for the future?
In the short term, my goal is to find a design opportunity with an amazing organization in the intimate apparel industry where I can gain experience and learn from the best in the industry. Long-term, I would love to start my own custom design lingerie company. I am so excited to see what the future holds.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEGAN'S WORK
ZHILING CHEN - 3RD PRIZE
The title of Zhiling’s design is “Break “, and she explains to us all the different nuances and meaning behind this choice: “Break to me can mean taking a break to relax our body and mind and enjoy the current moment in the pandemic. Break out can mean break though the boredom of life, which is the reality of today. It can also mean breaking the rules and redefining the balance between design and life, hopefully reaching the dre
What attracted you to this industry and what drives/inspires you?
When I was young, I always sat on the balcony with my grandmother in the afternoon. Most of the time, she would do some hand knitting while gently singing the songs on the radio; and sometimes, she would use the old sewing machine in the corner. Thinking back to that scene many years later, the creaky noise of the machine’s foot and the fine dust from it in the air were my initial memories of garments and fashion. If garments are what we want to show to others, then lingerie are the different faces of and which we want to show to ourselves. II want to understand and feel the inclusivity, infinity, and uniqueness of each of our bodies and inner selves. This is what inspires me.
What have you been doing since then and what are you doing now?
I recently graduated from FIT, and I am now doing freelancing jobs in a lingerie and swimwear company called Araks. I am also continuing to create lingerie pieces on my own.
What are your hopes for the future?
I think the pandemic has changed our lives and, in a way, will have a lasting influence on them. I hope that lingerie in the future can become freer, more diversified and on a par with Fashion. I want to continue what I am doing now, keep creating and hopefully create my own label in the future.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ZHILING'S WORK
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