Last weekend, Marymount University students transported audiences to a suave “Soirée” during the 2024 Portfolio in Motion fashion showcase. The show featured a variety of looks, from modern bridal pieces to edgy streetwear, all themed around elegance and sophistication.
“This year’s Portfolio in Motion showcased an elegant environment for a dinner party, Soirée,” said Julia Ravindran, Associate Professor of Fashion Design at Marymount University. “With a vision of luxury, this event featured exceptional fashion designs with couture elements, vibrant prints and hand-dyed, sustainable fabrics.”
Marymount University President Irma Becerra shared a few words with students and VIPs before the start of the show.
“Portfolio in Motion is not just an event – it’s a testament to the creativity, talent and dedication of our students,” she said. “Your dedication and innovation shine brightly tonight. This event is a celebration of your hard work and creative spirit. I commend you all for pushing boundaries and redefining the art of fashion.”
Before the Portfolio in Motion 2024 premiere, Marymount welcomed the Designer of the Year, Peter Langner, to campus. Based in Milan, the couture designer specializes in bridal fashion. He joined President Becerra and other VIPs for a reception before the opening night performance and later met with Fashion Design students to give feedback on their portfolios.
Starting Thursday night, student models took to the runway to help bring the artistic visions of Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising and Marketing students to life. President Becerra made her traditional appearance on the catwalk, modeling an evening gown designed by alumnus Ernesto Santalla ‘23. The event also debuted looks from two of Marymount’s featured Fashion Design students, Annie Pacious and Lydia Thomas.
Pacious, a former U.S. Patent and Trademark Office lawyer, came to Marymount in 2018 to pursue a new career in fashion design. For the showcase, she created almost a dozen retro-inspired pieces, with bright colors and psychedelic patterns reminiscent of 1970s fashion. Her collection featured everything from evening gowns to streetwear, effortlessly mixing fashion and function.
Thomas, meanwhile, designed six garments for the performances. During her design process, Thomas hand-dyed fabrics using natural materials such as roses and onion skins to create vibrant colors and one-of-a-kind patterns. She wanted her pieces to highlight sustainable fashion practices and showcase “the beauty of God’s creation.”
The show ended with the presentation of student achievement awards. These included the Namsbe Foundation Arthur H. Taylor Award for Excellence in Menswear, given to Caroline MacDonald for her menswear looks that incorporated satin and floral patterns. Other awards included the Portfolio in Motion Award (Annie Pacious), Sister Gabrielle Berg Award (Lydia Thomas and Cameren Golden), Service and Leadership Award (Best Kornwoodtikun), Stand Out Performance in Fashion Merchandising Award (Johanna Ramirez-Juan) and Stand Out Performance in Fashion Design Award (Bria Fisher).
Langner then addressed attendees, VIPs and students and offered them a roadmap to success.
“Success is three things — talent, opportunity and perseverance,” he explained. “When you have all three together, you can say you have success or you find your way of achieving success. It’s not always what others see in you, but what you see in yourself.”
Models and designers then made one last lap around the runway and said a final au revoir to the audience and VIPs before concluding Portfolio in Motion 2024: Soirée.
