Captured by Crystal Navellier, @crystalnavellier on IG. Follow Juliana at @j.daroza on IG.
Written by Owen Sullivan
Cornell Fashion Collective’s annual fashion show features both seasoned designers—seniors who have played a role in previous years' shows—and freshman, eager to showcase their first collections. Among these freshmen is Juliana DaRoza, an aspiring designer from San Francisco, California.
Captured by Crystal Navellier, @crystalnavellier on IG. Follow Juliana at @j.daroza on IG.
DaRoza was introduced to the world of fashion from a young age, as her mother is an artist and designer herself. DaRoza says it is she who inspired her to pursue fashion. “As a little girl, like most little girls, I looked up to my mom, an artist and designer, and dreamed of doing the things she did. I spent hours in her studio, danced around fabric stores, and while most little girls played dress-up, I was making the dresses.” As she grew older, DaRoza was captivated by the unifying power of clothing. She cites this unique characteristic as her favorite part of fashion design. “In my mind, fashion is the only industry that connects everyone in the world, whether they know it or not. Everyone needs clothing, and for the most part wears clothing.”
Captured by Crystal Navellier, @crystalnavellier on IG. Follow Juliana at @j.daroza on IG.
DaRoza’s first collection is predicated upon the theme of gender roles—the theme chosen for all level one and two designers. When constructing her collection, DaRoza drew influence from a couple of fashion’s greats: Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior. It was Laurent’s 1964 collection specifically, that DaRoza studied in preparation for her own collection—a collection that DaRoza says, “captures the concepts of intimacy and the feelings of touch mixed with the ideas of power and confidence.” It will be exciting to see the way in which DaRoza’s work develops as she cultivates her very first collection for Cornell Fashion Collective!
Written by Owen Sullivan, @owen_sullivan303 on IG