Chris Chang, 2017-18 Fashion Mentor looking over a student design
"Celestial Bodies" Theme for 2018 Mentor Projects

Students in Otis College's BFA Fashion Design program are gearing up for their spring mentor projects. Each year professional designers, acting as client and mentor, give students a design challenge to research and present sketch solutions.

Once selected, the student puts their work into production, using face-to-face time with the mentor during fittings to refine their concepts that will ultimately walk the runway at the college's Annual Scholarship Benefit and Fashion Show in May.

Under the overall theme of "Celestial Bodies" each mentor asked students to create pieces based on the designer's individual aesthetic and expertise. Like Jose Fernandez of Ironhead Studios and costume designer Louise Mingenbach, whose finale assignment has students ending the show with an eveningwear collection inspired by the sun signs of the zodiac. Learn more about each project below. 

Claudia Cividino

Claudia Cividino for Bally, above, wanted students to create a collection of refined luxury separates for men and women, inspired by the Earth, that also paid homage to Bally’s heritage of craftsmanship. Taking things beyond Earth, with a street-style sportswear and dress collection influenced by aliens and their spacecraft is the challenge from Johnson Hartig for Libertine. 

Embracing the mantra "Couture Chaos" Chris Chang, the founder and designer of Poesia, asked students to create the ultimate dress collection for the high fashion socialite.

Bleu by Rod Beattie

Ever wonder what the swimwear of the future looks like?  Bleu designer Rod Beattie, above, wanted to find out and challenged students to create something extraordinary, sexy, modern, and sophisticated.

Other directions include an ultra-modern athleisure collection that focuses on high volume and rich color guided by Sapna Von Sick for Alo Yoga, a sportswear collection inspired by a “Lunar Eclipse” directed by Davora Lindner for Prairie Underground, and a special collaboration with Marisol Gerona Bradford for Universal Studios.