Jane Wilkinson, Executive Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT provides insights into the science behind the images for Boston Arts Academy’s Fashion + Technology students Fiona Shine Duncan, Emerald Garcia, Alison Benavides Lopez, and Jaileen Mercado.

“Science and technology are the new frontiers of fashion. This project has provided an invaluable opportunity for young fashion makers to collaborate with their peers and learn from industry professionals while exploring new ways of thinking about the design process.”

— Jay Calderin, Founder, Boston Fashion Week

"The professional aspect of the program was something that I was grateful for.  Trying to break into the fashion industry as a young adult is incredibly hard. You don't get a lot of professional opportunities like this, so this experience was beyond

"The professional aspect of the program was something that I was grateful for.  Trying to break into the fashion industry as a young adult is incredibly hard. You don't get a lot of professional opportunities like this, so this experience was beyond incredible. I learned a lot about the industry and the process that you don't learn in school.” “Once we learned that this project was focused on sustainability and creating zero-waste garments it pushed us all to think outside of the box. This was new to all of us, so having the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other was very helpful. We also had to keep in mind that we were creating a collection as a group, not as individuals.  So collaborating to make sure it all tied together was important. Collaborating with the experts also allowed us to have access to technology and information that helped us with our designs.”   “I was emotional when the designs started to come down the runway.  The final garments and fabrics were more incredible than I ever expected. Seeing something you helped create, and your designs on a runway is an indescribable feeling. I knew right then that fashion design was what I wanted to do for a career.” — Fiona Shine Duncan

“I actually liked the meetings because they were very interactive. They helped me get out of my comfort zone.” “I loved meeting Jane Wilkinson [Executive Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT] and learning about the Koch Ins

“I actually liked the meetings because they were very interactive. They helped me get out of my comfort zone.” “I loved meeting Jane Wilkinson [Executive Director, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT] and learning about the Koch Institute.” “Learning how to design something using the 3D printer was challenging but worth the effort. I was very proud of myself for learning how to use the software.” — Emerald Garcia

“Collaboration is important. I learned to communicate with people who were part of the process. I liked being able to talk over what I could improve and using the feedback to revise my designs.” “The experience of seeing my work on the runway made i

“Collaboration is important. I learned to communicate with people who were part of the process. I liked being able to talk over what I could improve and using the feedback to revise my designs.” “The experience of seeing my work on the runway made it all feel very real. It was crazy how all my sketching, questions and hard work allowed me to share my work with the community.” — Alison Benavides Lopez

“I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet and work with Jay Calderin, and working with peers at Boston Arts Academy. I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and work with colors differently. I am one who typically works with darker co

“I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet and work with Jay Calderin, and working with peers at Boston Arts Academy. I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and work with colors differently. I am one who typically works with darker colors and was pushed to try working with more lively colors, and ended up loving the results.” “It was exciting to work with the team at MIT Museum Maker Hub to design 3D printed elements and learning how to navigate software. I was very proud to share the moment our work came down the runway with my friends and my teacher, Mrs. Polito, who taught me everything I know.” — Jaileen Mercado

Science Surfaces exhibition at Koch Institute Public Galleries

Science Surfaces

Koch Institute Public Galleries
500 Main Street, Building 76
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307

@kochinstitutemit

STEAM power on the runway

Boston teen designers create fashion inspired by award-winning images from MIT laboratories. MIT PRESS

PEERS + PROS PROJECT

SCIENCE SURFACES

Science Surfaces is a capsule collection of body coverings and accessories that serve as canvases for digital prints of ideas inspired by award-winning biomedical images produced by life science research labs at MIT. It’s the result of the first Peers + Pros Project, a Boston Fashion Week creative learning initiative sponsored in part by Koch Institute Public Galleries.

Fiona Shine Duncan, Emerald Garcia, Alison Benavides Lopez and Jaileen Mercado are high school students in the Fashion + Tech program at Boston Arts Academy who were invited to be part of a team that included professionals at Koch Institute Public Galleries, MIT Museum’s Maker Lab, Boston Public Library’s Teen Central, and School of Fashion Design, Boston.

The collaboration included:

— A visit to the Koch Institute Public Galleries to tour the 2022 Image Awards exhibition and learn about the science behind the images.

— Research and development meetings about zero-waste design strategies in Teen Central at the Boston Public Library, Copley Place branch.

— A series of hands-on 3D printing workshops at the MIT Museum’s Heide Maker Hub.

— Production support from the School of Fashion Design, Boston.

— A “Walk + Talk” runway presentation as part of the Cambridge Science Festival’s Fashion Day and opening day of the 28th annual Boston Fashion Week.

Developing concepts at the Boston Public Library’s Teen Central

Learning about 3-D printing at the Ulf B. Heide Maker Hub at the MIT Museum with instructors Brian Mernoff and Dora Bever

Zero-waste textile design/patternmaking and construction at the School of Fashion Design, Boston.

On the runway at the Cambridge Science Festival tent.