Chippewa Valley Times

UW-Stout recently held its Fashion Without Fabric runway show, showcasing the creative talents of its students. The event took place on April 12 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Student Center and was fully sold out. A total of 120 teams, comprising 258 students from 3D design classes, participated in the event. The theme for this year's show was "Welcome to Phenomonie!" and participants were tasked with creating wearable sculptures inspired by various natural or human-made phenomena. Materials used ranged from cardboard and foam to plastic and paper, but fabric was excluded.

One standout creation, "Choreography of the Deep," was inspired by the movements of bird murmurations and fish schooling. Created by Loren Grimes and Grace Johnson, the costume was modeled during the show to an enthusiastic audience. The event concluded with the awarding of $1,000 scholarships to Astrid Scharff and Celia Fuhrman for their piece "Nature’s Recourse," inspired by Madagascar's Forest of Knives.

The scholarship evaluation process involved teams submitting a process book containing detailed documentation of their creative journey. The faculty committee reviewed these submissions and selected 15 finalists, who were further assessed on the day of the show. Assessment criteria included craft, concept, and innovative use of materials, according to Professor Robert Atwell from UW-Stout’s School of Art and Design.

Apart from the top honors, other creations received recognition from a judging panel of Masako Onodera, Arthur Kneeland, and Andrew Bogard. Taking first place was "Choreography of the Deep." Second place went to "The Faces of Those You Know," while third place was awarded to "Striving to Thrive."

The winning design, "Nature’s Recourse," was described by its creators, Scharff and Fuhrman, as a "sentient spirit of earth." Fuhrman highlighted their open-minded approach and experimentation throughout the creative process. The team faced several challenges during their project, notably the attachment of the rock-bedecked shoulder piece.

The show served as a part of UW-Stout’s Destination Weekend and will be followed by the WEAR Fashion Show on May 3 in the same location.