A model dons student designer Loren Cruz’s garment at the Cutting Edge Fiesta® Fashion Show. Cruz won the 2014 Kathleen Watson Award for Best of Show.
A crowd of nearly 800 guests were on hand at San Antonio’s Marriott Rivercenter Hotel on April 16 for UIW’s 34th Annual Cutting Edge Fiesta® Fashion Show. The show is dedicated to Kathleen Watson in recognition of her work and support of the UIW Mission. Watson was instrumental in transforming a small, annual student fashion show into today’s successful event showcasing student talent and creativity while raising funds for scholarships in the UIW fashion department.
The annual event, produced entirely by students, featured garments illustrated, designed and constructed by seniors in the university’s fashion design program. The 2014 student designers were Alexandra Peña, Tessa Moss, Allison Speakmon, Loren Cruz, Liana Beth Hinojosa, Vanessa Angelica Lopez and Carla Gonzalez. These collections are judged by industry professionals and put on public display in the annual show, a high-energy New York style runway show produced by students in UIW’s fashion show production class.
UIW student designer Loren Cruz took home the top prize, the 2014 Kathleen Watson Award for Best of Show. This award is determined by the garment scored highest by a panel of judges and includes a $1,500 scholarship from the Watson Foundation. Cruz’s collection, inspired by urban street art, was also the third place winner for construction and first place winner in design. Vanessa Angelica Lopez took second place in design and first place in construction and Liana Beth Hinojosa came in third place in design and second place in construction.
The Cutting Edge Fiesta® Fashion Show is an official Fiesta® event. Proceeds provide scholarships for UIW fashion management students. Since 2006, the fashion show, its sponsors and supporters have awarded more than $50,000 in scholarships to fashion management students. The 2014 scholarships were awarded to Patrick J. Martinez and Esperanza Silguero.
