There’s only one day ’til this year’s DAAP Fashion Show, and we’re bringing you two more young designers for the DAAP Fashion Series: Molly Hunsaker and Shaheen Miro.
Name: Molly Hunsaker
Age: 24
Focus: Fashion Product Development
Describe your collection:
I am a big fan of dreamy, romantic, and feminine pieces. Chloé is a huge favorite, and I am liking Isabel Marant a lot these days. I respect the talent of Alexander Wang and Rick Owens as well.
What are your favorite materials to work with and why?
I love working with anything really light and airy that makes everything seem kind of ethereal. I have been working with a lot of silk organza for my final product, and it has been interesting to see what kind of shapes it can make.
What is the craziest thing you’ve seen in the studio?
It is always interesting when we are all in the studio anytime right before a critique. If I’m not helping someone regain their sanity, then someone else is helping me keep it together! I once had to cut someone out of a dress she made the morning of the critique because the zipper broke while it was on her, and she still had to finish the hem, etc. But she finished and it ended up looking great!
How often do you get a full eight hours of sleep?
I usually try to keep a good sleep schedule, but it’s during the last few weeks where I feel like I barely get any. I have dreams about working on projects sometimes and then wake up only to realize that I still have to actually do whatever I’d been dreaming about. When I was taking knitwear last summer, I dreamt of knitting techniques and how to do them.
What is your favorite piece in your collection?
My favorite piece from my collection is the layered capelet. There is a longer layer of rose-colored silk organza on the bottom and a shorter layer of gray on the top, but they are detachable so you can wear them together or separately. There is also a three-dimensional soft embellishment made to look like a rose that will be detachable. The bodysuits are great, too.
Once the show is over, what will be your vice of choice?
A night out with my classmates and (hopefully) our professors! Then in May I’m going to California with my sister for a few weeks to recuperate, so one might find me at Disneyland or on the beach.
Other than the above, what are your plans post-graduation?
I am starting training to become a yoga instructor this summer as a gift to myself and for something healthy to do on the side. I’m not quite ready to leave Cincinnati, so I hope to find a great career here. I will also be getting married in May 2015, so I need to start planning a wedding. It is all kind of scary and new, but I am optimistic that the future will bring good things.
Name: Shaheen Miro
Age: 24
Focus: Fashion Design
Describe your collection:
“7” is a bold, dynamic collection where each look portrays a plane of the astral world and embodies the mystical, ambiguous nature of each plane. The progression of the collection examines identity through revealing and shrouding, challenging the constructs of gender by questioning the expected.
Who is your current favorite designer?
Currently I am very interested in designers who have a clean, sophisticated, and somewhat androgynous aesthetic similar to my own. RAD by Rad Hourani is one of my favorites.
What are your favorite materials to work with and why?
I enjoy working with fabrics and materials that come to life with little effort, such as chiffon. Chiffon is ethereal and lends itself to so many applications. In my collection I used an industrial fabric called Spacer Mesh, which is typically used for things like speakers and automotive interiors, but I found it makes wonderful silhouettes for jackets.
What is the craziest thing you’ve seen in the studio?
The craziest thing I’ve seen in studio would be the studio itself. The glamorous, polished fashion you see in the media is achieved through blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of junk food and coffee! If you saw the mess we made while we work you’d be shocked.
How often do you get a full eight hours of sleep?
In the thick of it all I get about four to five hours of sleep, but as things wind down eight hours of sleep is more attainable. I would say weekends I usually let myself sleep about eight hours so I can recharge for the week. But those eight hours are earned and still cause a lot of guilty feelings.
What is your favorite piece in your collection?
Really they are all my favorite, but since I have to pick, it would be my blue chiffon cape tank and my black and blue Spacer Mesh cropped jacket. The blue makes such a statement. The cape tank is so minimal, but it has a presence. The sides have no side seams. Instead they overlap to create a petaled effect, which is carried throughout the collection.
Once the show is over, what will be your vice of choice?
My vice of choice will be karaoke. I cannot wait to get wild on the microphone. There’s nothing like belting out some Stevie Nicks to help ground and center.
Other than the above, what are your plans post-graduation?
I’m not sure what’s next. I’m a gypsy, so we will see where the wind takes me. But for now the plan is to get my MBA.
Want to see these collections in person? Get tickets to the Fashion Show, and be sure to follow Cincinnati Magazine on Facebook and @CincinnatiMag on Twitter for updates!
Photos by Lauren Kremer
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