Nine Collections Shine Bright at the Albright College NYFW Show
Albright College marked its fourth showing at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) on Saturday, September 7th, with an eagerly awaited runway fashion show.
Albright College, nestled in Reading, PA, just 2½ hours from New York City, is known for its nationally ranked Liberal Arts-based fashion design, merchandising, and costume design programs. On September 7, 2024 during New York Fashion Week, Albright proudly presented the innovative designs of nine recent graduates on the prestigious runway for guests to study and enjoy.
The show opened with Milford, Pennsylvania’s Mary Quinn’s collection of artfully dimensional floral bouquets and subtle colorations. Quinn’s designs seamlessly married garden party whimsy with the sophistication of silk charmeuse and chiffon. Her floral encrusted cropped bustier worn atop a double layer skirt pairing, opened the show and proved that Spring 2025 was calling.
Next, graduate Michelle Nguyen impressed the crowd with contemporary cuts of Asian streetwear. Her collection featured young-spirited pieces like a grass green A-line mini-dress appliqued with a red barn worn over a white blouson sleeved blouse. The blouse entailed a Peter Pan collar that married schoolgirl uniform preppy with Tokyo’s Ginza edgy aesthetic.
Third on the New York Fashion Week runway came another local Reading, PA native, Truc Phuong Ha. Ha’s collection radiated effortless style and creativity with inventive, yet versatile pieces. Each silhouette she employed a novel mixing of fabrications and asymmetrical cuts which made all of us in the audience take a double look at each piece to take in the thoughtful and intriguing plays on proportion.
Hailing from Howell, NJ, Abby Thomas-Ridgway next presented an uber feminine collection on the runway. Her collection consisted of airy day dresses in appliquéd eyelet that could be worn in a variety of settings from summer soirees to a dressy day with friends.
Lydia Simone‘s swimwear provided the natural bridge to the show and transitioned the mood from daywear to evening. The Philadelphia native left all in the room yearning for a day at the beach or poolside at their favorite resort with her easy-breezy styles that were dressed with cascading ruffle detailing.
Another New Jersey native, Felicia Oyekola kicked off the second half of the run of show with a collection of brilliantly tailored dresses that deftly walked the fine line between costume and fashion to great success.
Brooklyn born, Kamiah Jean pumped up the conceptual volume with her collection of ensembles that utilized chain and other hardware elements to shape each silhouette. Jean’s final two “dresses” proved the ultimate showstopper with their body-con tube dresses worn under boned cages.
Horsham, PA’s Mia Rezza served the runway with her collection of mocha silk charmeuse evening dresses that were softened with sky blue silk chiffon accents. Ressa’s collection left several in the room applauding as the models made the way around the event’s U-shaped runway.
Returning designer, and Reading, PA native designer, Stephanie Vargas Hemmings closed the show with bold, hand-sewn textures and detailed styles. Standout pieces like a deep blue softly detailed dresses that combined several hand techniques.
This lovely showcase served as a testament to Albright College’s unwavering commitment to fostering emerging talent and pushing the boundaries of fashion creativity. The audience at NYFW was treated to a mesmerizing showcase of diverse perspectives, innovative designs, and groundbreaking concepts, underlining the institution’s pivotal role in shaping the future of the fashion industry.