A feature in the Brandeis Independent student newspaper spotlights how MassArt’s fashion design  students are embracing sustainable practices in their work, from sourcing materials secondhand to zero waste patterning. Knora Connolly’s (BFA Fashion Design ’26) work emphasizing the themes of consumption and vulnerability is highlighted.

Featured Photo: Harol Rivas

Fashion Designer and MassArt Alumnus Heily Rivas‘ (‘24) latest collection will be on full display at the Institute of Contemporary Arts’ (ICA)  “First Fridays: Fashion Fête” (tickets on-sale now!) event on July 5.

Nine models adorned in Rivas’ designs will be immersed in the crowd at the popular summer soiree in the Seaport area of Boston, as part of a collaboration with Boston Caribbean Fashion week. Rivas will also be doing some freestyle designing on a mannequin as a special bonus for those who attend the event.

This innovative, fashion-forward installment from the immediate past president of the MassArt Student Government Association is “inspired specifically by waterways around the world,” drawing from places like Colombia (where her parents are from and which stretches a finger of land into the Caribbean Sea), Brazil, and the Mississippi River Delta. One of her designs, the ninth, will be modeled by Rivas’ father, and is inspired by his life story as a musician who came from a small town in Colombia and grew up to tour Europe and the U.S.

Rivas takes what you might call a “scrappy” approach to her craft, one that she learned and developed at MassArt, upcycling scrap textiles for her creations that otherwise would end up in bulging landfills. A self-proclaimed “optimistic designer,” her work focuses on sustainable fashion and the industry’s impact on the environment.

You won’t want to miss this chance to see sustainable fashion in action from a MassArt alum.

Get your tickets now.

MassArt Alumnus, Benjamin Talley Smith (’01 BFA Fashion Design), the founder of the renowned denim atelier Talley Creative, has been making waves in the fashion industry. Described as “the most influential jeans guy you’ve never heard of” by The New York Times, Smith discusses his extensive experience in the denim industry. He has collaborated with numerous high-profile brands, including Helmut Lang, Earnest Sewn, Ulla Johnson, Jordache, Re/Done, Everlane, Reformation, and Khaite.

In his interview on the Who What Wear Podcast, Ben shares insights into the best denim pairs currently available, the resurgence of low-rise jeans, and the story behind naming Khaite’s Danielle jeans after his wife. He also hints at an exciting upcoming denim line with Spanx set to launch in 2025.