University of Wisconsin-Stout students presented their sculptural costume designs on April 11 during the annual Fashion Without Fabric event, held in front of a sold-out audience. The show, themed “Years in the Making,” was part of the university’s Year of Design and highlighted works inspired by international designers and artists.
The event underscores UW-Stout’s focus on blending practical learning with creative expression, offering students hands-on opportunities to develop their skills. The university features modern labs, studios, and industry-linked spaces to enhance practical learning, according to the official website.
Out of more than 250 participants creating 79 designs, top honors went to “A Fragile Wonder,” inspired by Eva Zeisel and created by Elliott Clark, Quinlan Hartung, and Kyra Oertel. Second place was awarded to “Metropolitan Muse,” based on Massimo Vignelli’s work. Third place went to “The Triadic Ballet,” which drew inspiration from Oskar Schlemmer. The Hoeft Builders Endowed Scholarship was given for “Immerse Your Eyes, Preserve Your Mind,” a piece influenced by Brenda Laurel and designed by Dani Binzcak, Cole Kothbauer, and Zoe Watanabe; each team member received a $1,000 scholarship.
Emcee Ainsley Violet said about the winning scholarship design: “Immerse yourself in reality, immerse yourself in fantasy, immerse yourself in technology. However, in a day when the work of artists and designers is under threat by artificial intelligence…this piece takes us back to when such technology was designed with humanist intentions.”
Kothbauer said about Laurel’s influence: “Her work varied…she used technology as a tool that benefited society through education and communication…which opposed the growing mindset of technology and virtual media being seen as a distraction or as something redundant to the development of humanity.”
Additional honorary awards were presented for artistry and craftmanship across several categories. Upcoming spring events include fashion shows featuring senior collections as well as showcases for research projects and game development.
UW-Stout has been recognized as Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University for its approach that blends theory with application according to its official website. It functions within the University of Wisconsin System and focuses on preparing students for careers through hands-on learning experiences with industry collaborations. All full-time undergraduates receive laptops through its eStout program promoting educational technology use. The university also builds partnerships with businesses for internships and career development.
