MEET TEEN VOGUE'S GENERATION NEXT CLASS OF 2022
BY TEEN VOGUE STYLE TEAM
In September of 2022, I had the amazing opportunity to speak at the Teen Vogue Summit as one of the winners for their Generation Next 2022 competition.
Upon being announced one of six winners, I was tasked with creating a garments out of Legos. It was a material I had never even thought about using and I did have some hesitations about the whole project but it was a challenge that I was interested in tackling. Through getting to know my materials, experimentation and many creative bursts, I created my first Lego based outfit.
It was incredible being part of something extraordinary. I traveled to LA for the first time, I was able to share my passions and beliefs as a designer to an audience that is also passionate about the industry, created connections and made remarkable friends in the process.
Having the support of my family and friends was a huge encouragement so a huge thank you to them. And a very special thank you to my photographer Shaina Suri and model Natalie Dezelsky.
. . ."Being a South African-born Zimbabwean, I have found conflict within myself and others who straddle two or more nationalities. I've realized my generation is close to losing that connection to our cultural heritage. And I am eager to find a way to build that connection again. I do this by bringing in traditional and sustainable techniques such as manually hand-dyeing. . ."
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SPOTLIGHT ON PARSONS BFA ’23: CHIEDZA KASEKE, EMILY XU & ESTHER PARK
After my Thesis Exhibition, I had the amazing opportunity to be featured in NoKill Magazine as part of their ones to look for series.
It felt good to talk about my beliefs and values as a designer because they are the core reason I design. I hope someone from back home reads this and see that it is possible to achieve your goals.
"For a long time my idea of making as a designer was to mass produce. But as I grew and developed my own beliefs and values on design, I realized that it doesn’t have to be that way." - Chiedza Kaseke
What is the inspiration or concept behind it?
”My concept behind this collection is to take aspects of my culture and integrate them with a future that I hope for. These aspects being the people, the objects and the atmosphere from back home in Zimbabwe. But my grandmother and great grandmother were the core inspiration for this collection. I used their Ndebele and Shona culture to inform many design features in my clothes. As well as using the idea of craft to embody my grandmothers love of crafts. As for the future I hope for, I did a lot of world building to really make this universe come to life with the use of bright colors, vibrancy and connection.”
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THE PARSONS 74TH ANNUAL BENEFIT EVENT CHAMPIONED THE NEXT GENERATION OF DESIGNERS
THE PRESTIGIOUS FASHION INSTITUTION HONORED INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHTS IN ADDITION TO GRADUATES.
BY KERANE MARCELLUS
2023
“I am honored to be recognized by Parsons for my contributions to the fashion industry and for my philanthropic work that has raised money and awareness for causes so close to my heart. Throughout my career, I have worn the designs of many Parsons graduates, and I’m so proud to receive this award from an institution celebrated for their bold and innovative approach to fashion,” said Campbell in her acceptance speech . . .
. . . After speeches given by Rousteing, Jacobs, and Carolina Herrera, the fashion show began. Music radiated throughout the space, and out came models wearing original designs by Parsons graduates. If I felt an immense sense of pride in artists that I don’t even know, then I can only imagine how good they must’ve felt to have their work shown in this way. Most people who have never worked a fashion show don’t realize how much labor goes into the planning of one. These students poured heart and soul into their designs. Parsons’ emerging students include Celeste Nicole Haselrig, Ahmrii Johnson, Chiedza Kaseke, Kelisi Smith, Sherleen Motan, Hadassah Aristide, and Donna Nicole Carter."
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HERE ARE SOME OF THE TOP LOOKS FROM THE PARSONS' CLASS OF 2023 BFA FASHION SHOW
BY DYLAN KELLY
2023
I had the amazing opportunity to take part in the Parsons A.NEW BFA Runway show in 2023. I specifically chose Look 7 from my collection KUTUNGAMIRWA: TO BE GUIDED to be my chosen piece in the show as I felt it represented the true message of my collection and was a visual representation of who I am as a designer. It was a My wonderful model Kaitlyn made the look come to life by embodying the personality and attitude I had imagined for the wearer of my clothes. She has been a featured mode for all of my collections since 2021 and I could not have done it without her.
"Overall, the showcase proved that a new wave of eager designers is well-prepared to step into fashion’s limelight — with a legion of fresh perspectives."
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