Yueru Chen, Between Image and Reality, 2026

My collection explores the contrast between image and reality. In today’s social media environment, people often present idealized versions of themselves through carefully edited and selected images, while real life is usually more imperfect and raw.

Through this collection, I aim to highlight this gap. I looked at traditional garments in old photographs and focused on expressing the natural folds, weight, and physical presence of fabric, elements that cannot be fully captured through images.

I also worked with sustainable materials, using fabric scraps and deadstock to build surfaces that feel unfinished and imperfect. This process reflects the idea of reconstruction rather than perfection.

Silkscreen printing is incorporated to further emphasize the tension between constructed images and lived reality, creating a visual dialogue between what is seen and what is actually experienced.

The Design Show

The Design Show features garments, accessories, lookbooks, fragrances, and portfolio work, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with both the finished collections and the creative processes behind them. Together, these presentations reveal the breadth of ideas, approaches, and perspectives that define the Fashion Design Class of 2026.

The work on view reflects the creativity, rigor, and vision of a new generation of designers shaping the future of fashion through thoughtful and engaged practice.