Our latest project with nine LA student creatives
After a whirlwind of only five weeks, our team produced ten different looks by nine students in La for the debut of the Styled by CITI CUSTOM CASH Fashion Show.
In February of this year, Citi Bank announced an open call for students to submit their own designs inspired by one of the Citi Custom Cash Card spend categories. The winners of each category were involved in the production of a final look and saw their sketches and designs come to life on the runway.
Much like the weekly themes of Project Runway, the 10 categories ranged from Live Entertainment to Restaurants, with each offering their own challenges and creative inspirations.
There were guidelines and some exclusions within each category, but each submission rendered the provided themes in their own way. Our team collaborated to vote and score each submission with careful attention to creativity and plan for construction.
Our scorecards were averaged with those of Citi Bank’s panel of judges. Once the final selections were announced our team was able to get to work. The pressure was on as we tackled months of work in a matter of weeks in a whirlwind of fittings and meetings.
We followed an accelerated rendition of our standard workflows, guiding each student through design and development for their final look. Each student came from a unique background and exposure to the world of apparel production. Some students even included prospective material specs, cost analysis, and further ideation in their submissions.
Our development manager, Abby, coordinated with each designer to render the garments as patterns and guiding them through alterations and fittings with models. Our sample makers worked quickly and flawlessly to provide the final pieces for the runway show, with accessories and shoes curated and provided by the designers themselves.
Meet the students.
Working with students and new talent is integral to the history of Rule DD.
Our passion is rooted in uplifting the aspirations of creatives, and working with bright minds from different backgrounds and universities was such a fun challenge to take on.
Click through the gallery to read the bios from each student’s application!
& Their Designs.
Click through to see all 10 of the original sketches alongside the final looks.
Student Experiences
What’s next?
Education is a core value for Rule DD. We are passionate about working with students to promote their voices and educate the next generation of designers on ethical fashion. We are currently developing a special program for student designers - stay tuned!
