On April 20, 2018, Christian Fuda ‘18, a senior majoring in industrial design, stepped out of his comfort zone to pursue his passion of fashion design as he presented an avant-garde collection for the annual fashion show Art2Wear, hosted by the NC State College of Design.
“I hope that my collection and story can inspire at least one person to do the same… I hope that after the show, my work can inspire people to try new things and be creative,” Fuda says.
No stranger to the intersection of clothing and industrial design, Fuda has completed more than 100 custom shoe designs for clients all around the U.S., as well as from Australia, England, Russia, and Singapore. Fuda donated one pair of his hand-crafted sneakers as a raffle prize in support of the Green Gecko Project and auctioned off an original “Boston Strong”-themed pair with all proceeds benefiting victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. He spent his freshman year interning with ISlide USA, a customized sandal company based near his hometown of Hull, Mass., designing an innovative footbed for future sandal models and creating mock-up designs for customers’ orders.
This year, Art2Wear is celebrating its 17th year as a student-organized runway show that presents fashion, costume, and wearable sculpture created by students of the College of Design at NC State University. This annual event is an opportunity for students to bring a unique voice to fashion and textiles. The theme for this year’s event is “Caesura” – or “The Art of Interruption”.
Fuda says, “My collection for Art2Wear is made to encourage people to change their perspective and empower them to find beauty in all things.” The concept for his collection focuses on “chromatic aberration” or using a ‘loss of focus’ (an ‘interruption in sight’) to cause objects to look blurred.
He says, “If you look closely, this blur is actually light that has been separated into halos of red, yellow, and blues. This collection features streetwear-influenced silhouettes with the use of these colors to create a unique pattern and visual effect.”
To present his work at Art2Wear, Fuda submitted two “preview looks” in front of a jury of accomplished fashion experts. After receiving notification of his acceptance, he received mentorship from assistant professor Justin Leblanc, who competed in the final round of “Project Runway” Season 12 and in “Project Runway All-Stars” Season 4.
“I could not have done any of this without the Park Scholarships program,” says Fuda. “Not only has the Park program assisted me financially with a Park Enrichment Grant to provide me with the tools and materials I needed to bring this collection to life, but it has also offered a tremendous amount of support. Every person in my Park class, the office, and our Park Faculty Scholars has been extremely encouraging and has pushed me to follow my ambitions. The Park Program has helped me become the person I want to be and has allowed me to become comfortable and confident in pursuing my passions.”
posted 2018.04.23