Frances Bronet, President of Pratt Institute, notes that the school’s collegiate runway show holds the title of the longest-running in the United States, dating back to 1899. This predates Coco Chanel’s revolutionary move to liberate women from corsets. Over the years, Pratt students have consistently showcased their designs through numerous cultural and fashion shifts, including two World Wars, the flapper era, Dior’s New Look, and the advent of the Internet and social media. The class of 2026, however, may be facing some of the most unprecedented challenges yet. What insights will their collections provide into the perspectives of today’s youth?
The students’ collections, serving as their senior theses, often narrate their personal journeys, intertwining their histories with fashion. Themes like sustainability, climate change, artificial intelligence, and the immigrant experience prominently featured in their work. Aesthetically, the designs were characterized by intricate patchwork, modified silhouettes, and layers of flowing garments.
A total of 28 students participated, each presenting five to seven outfits, offering a glimpse into their evolving artistic practices. Ava Wilson stood out with her lingerie dresses, accentuated at the hips and bust, adorned with ribbons, and complemented by shaggy fur stoles and jackets. Inspired by vintage Black glamour icons like Eartha Kitt, Donna Summers, and Diana Ross, Wilson incorporated hair, a significant aspect of Black beauty, into her corsets and lace-edged slip dresses. Her work playfully and thoughtfully addressed Black beauty standards.
The show commenced with Xingui Liu’s experimental creations. Drawing from her experiences as a Chinese student, Liu crafted a blue babydoll dress from upcycled shirts, featuring creases reminiscent of vacuum-sealed garments. This piece exuded a unique charm reminiscent of Marc Jacobs. Her constant travel inspired her concept of packing her own body, resulting in a design printed with a nude female form, suggesting an anatomical exposure. Another piece humorously captured the chaos of last-minute packing. Amina Walker offered a charming patchwork dress using toile de jouy and prairie prints, while Naisa Agrawal’s work featured romantic, Edwardian-inspired shapes with embroidery reflecting soil cracks and a palette of burgundy, moss, and umber, all inspired by her allergies.
The students eagerly demonstrated their skills with various embellishments, making many collections resemble art projects more than commercial pieces. The event reminded attendees that simplicity sometimes shines brightest, as exemplified by Shannon Bollin’s minimalist design: a sheer, cropped button-up paired with wide-cut, low-slung marigold trousers. For a brief moment, the future appeared bright and uncomplicated.
