by Iain McCarthy

I have always had a fascination with streetwear and wanted to bring together the comfort and style of streetwear to formalwear by making pieces from both styles that can combine together to create something new. The use of formalwear can have a demanding presence while still embodying the versatility and style of streetwear.

by Natalie Skye Kha

This collection showcases three monochromatic looks in delicate pastel hues of pink, blue, and yellow. Each shade, derived from the primary colors, symbolizes the interconnectedness of body, emotion, and mind, harmonizing gracefully in their symbiotic relationship.

by Alexia Gonzales

Midnight Masquerade builds on the Venetian background of wearing masquerade masks during balls to conceal identities of guests and encourage anonymous interactions among different social classes. Implementing this year's theme of Symbiosis, Mutualism was achieved through the liberation these masks and time period provided for individuals. Inspired by the Renaissance art style, the collection features a red and black color palette that incorporates fabrics like lace, leather, and glittered cotton.

by Adiva Asefi

Technology and nature; Two words that are usually pitied against each other. Through the Symbiosis show I wanted to create looks that represent the mutualism between nature and technology; showing how these two contradicting aspects can both benefit from each other.

by Krishan Patel

A Nexus of experiences. The past, future, technology and nature are all one. Pieces to solve the unknown. These pieces showcase my wonder of the mysteries that lie beyond.

by Mia Anderson

for my collection, i played around with different colors and experimented with different textures to create designs i typically would not make, because i wanted for this collection to display a lot of personality. my collection was heavily inspired by drag, since drag queens inspire my personal fashion in day to day life.

by Jose Garcia

Step into a realm where nature and industry intertwine, where the beauty of natural elements fuses with synthetic materials. The collection tells a story that captures the essence of change and renewal.

by Roberto Evan Delgado

So much piles up and yet beneath us is layers of lost knowledge and connection to the core of our existence, the soil we arise from. We been too busy climbing up the hill to sink our feet in the clay that our ancestors lay in. This collection beckons at both the past and future. It is most inspired by the warm sun of Western Mexico, the honest truth of Mother Earth, and a Worm’s place in it all. All pieces combine new and old fabrics, true to the goal of reclamation.

by Josh Renton

IN VIVO is an exercise in sustainability and amalgamation. Utilizing recycled garments to layer new life into what might otherwise be wasted.

by Henry Taylor

In every landfill there are beautiful treasures buried. Rotting away with food and our feces. In every mall there is garbage waiting to be thrown away. This look is inspired by H&M and Zara and the millions of tons of their clothes that sit in those beautiful underground treasure chests.

by Abby Casady

I’ve always been fascinated by runway shows that border performance art, particularly Margiela’s iconic and anti-establishment shows of the 90s. These shows and the pieces featured in them also heavily centered around deconstructivist ideas, like exposed seams, distressed materials, and reorganized traditional construction. Inspired by a furniture project from earlier this year where I experimented with Shou Sugi Ban, I began to wonder how fire might distress not just wood, but fabric. Taking the three different states of matter that fire can reduce a material down to, I created three different looks representing the effects of applied heat to a substance: maintaining a solid form but becoming tattered and burnt, melting into a liquid, and vaporizing into smoke. I realized my collection was less about fire as a symbol, and more about the concept of heat -- canned heat.

by Juliette Benazra

Each piece explores the hues and silhouettes of the land, the sea, or the in between. While opposites, the collection shows transition from the cool dark ocean floor to the bright florals of the land. Cyanotype sun printing and natural food dyes are used to communicate the colors and materials of each world.

By Anika Somasundaram

The outdoors, particularly the ocean, has been a constant source of solace and inspiration in my life and how I represent myself. After moving to SLO for college, this connection deepened, igniting a desire to integrate nature into more aspects of my life. With this collection, I've intertwined the serene allure of nature with my art, creating pieces that resonate with both the soulful tranquility of the outdoors and the vibrant spirit of artistic expression. Each design embodies a harmonious blend of rugged elegance and organic beauty, reflecting the timeless allure of nature's embrace on fashion.

by Asmahan Karam

My collection depicts the feminine energy of symbiosis through concepts of mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism.

by Anita Shanbhogue

The fashion accessory simultaneously empowers and constrains the body. This collection explores the symbiotic nature between body and accessory by reimagining technological innovations that have historically altered the female form- prompting reflection on the intricacies of identity, agency, and societal pressures.

by Ellie Feistel

"I have always felt torn between appreciating nature as it is and trying to create my own version of nature in art. Through my collection I would like to communicate the importance of leaving the earth untouched and yet how it inspires us in every aspect of our life, whether we want it to or not. My pieces are inspired by forms found in nature or created from pieces taken directly from nature itself. Throughout this process I have worked to source my material from used and sustainable sources whenever possible”.

by Marcella Ledesma/Phebe Cohen

The pieces within our collection draw from different aspects of nature and humanity colliding in both harmonious and parasitic ways. We wanted to convey the story of humanity’s lifetime on earth, subsequently showing the evolution of this relationship over time.

by Sophie Kroesche

this collection combines the functionality of workwear with organic designs borrowed from nature, inspired by living and working in the forest and forming a personal relationship with the land. The individual looks include references to field workwear, animal bones, california lichen, and prescribed burning. Many pieces are made with items commonly found in wood shops, work trucks, and the natural world, and reference the designer’s time working in forestry and fire.

by Cali Carson

Drawing inspiration from the forest's beauty, this collection features three captivating looks inspired by parts of nature that grow on trees: moss, lichen, and fungi.

by Clarissa Marrufo

"Ciclos de Claridad, or cycles of clarity, is a representation of my different identities coming together and being able to coexist. Being Mexican American I have never felt I truly belonged to either identity but as I have grown I have learned to embrace that I do not need to prove how American or Mexican I am to anyone, I simply am and that is enough.

Another complexity in my life has been a love for fashion while also caring deeply about Mother Earth, as much of our pollution is due to the overproduction of fast fashion.

For this collection I will be transforming clothing and fabric that the women in my family and I have accumulated over the years to give them a new life.

My pieces are inspired by the complexity and unity of nature, while also exploring the cycle of life and death, and how we must accept this cycle to see clearly."

by Anh Ngo

Focusing on the incorporation of clear fabrics within clothing, this collection highlights the message of transparency, or lack thereof, within the culture of fashion. This is expressed throughout different areas of each piece, maximizing the number of their interpretations. Introducing new and unconventional silhouettes that take inspiration from the simplicity and convenience of design from organic structure.

by Brady Nakamura

"Please, take my photo. The flower in a field of grass violates the uniform. The flower subject to the parasite of judgement will shed its petals. The violence of homogeneity oppresses.

This collection is the protest of the flower. The flower, not the grass, defines itself."

by Danny Puga/Jaclyn Sachiyo Brodersen

"Polyphony" embodies a convergence of opposing concepts and unconventional formd, where traditional textiles fuse with modern innovation. Handmade algae yarn, handmade mixed-latex textile, and hand-designed 3D-printed fabric delineate the collection. Each look is a stanza of biomorphic thought, inviting wearers into a world where harmony and discord unite, creating a captivating symphony of sartorial expression.