Supima Design Competition 2020: A New Generation of Designers

The 2020 Supima Design Competition is shaping up to be a particularly inclusive one of its kind, as this year there is an emphatic drive towards racial diversity. Law Roach, the fashion expert who has advised of the likes of Zendaya and Kerry Washington, happily accepted his role as the host of the competition upon learning that Supima was working with historically black academic institutions. Roach’s excitement to help develop the careers of fashion newcomers only swelled at the prospect of supporting designers of color.

The contestants for the 2020 Supima Design Competition not only come from esteemed colleges and universities, but also present new ideas that are likely to revolutionize the fashion world. Hailing from the Rhode Island School of Design, Kyra Buenviaje has taken inspiration from the current coronavirus-ridden landscape to create dresses that flow down to the floor and pleated jackets. Meanwhile, Los Angeles’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising alum Sakura Mizutani channeled her fascination with nature into portraying the four seasons through sculpted blouses and fabric blouses. Originally studying mathematics and engineering, Terrence Zhou’s applied his areas of study to building elaborate fashions. Jennie Nguyen of Kent State put her valuing of sustainability into practice with her minimalist designs built from recycled material, and being named in Vogue as one of FIT’s most exemplary designers is a strong start to Jenny Feng’s career. Lastly, a recent graduate, Drexel University, print designer Amanda Forastieri has a particularly colorful interpretation of sustainability in her Utopia collection.

Photo Credits: Vogue, L.A. Times

Report: Nia Hunt