Congrats to our Second Place winner Amaya Marjorie Lewicki @missalew from @saicfashiondesign!
Collection Inspo: l Don’t Dream of Marriage exists as a balancing act between desire and evasion. Garments range from heavy to nearly transparent, with structured silhouettes that force the body to move in deliberate ways, reflecting the contradicting duties of wifely life—burdens to carry, what should be seen versus covered, and for whom. Still upholding the beauty of bridalwear and what could be, the work incorporates repurposed materials, traditional and non-traditional fabrics, laser cutting, and braided hair. “I Don’t Dream of Marriage communicates my anxieties around the self-inflicted sacrifice I have observed that comes with being a wife. Falling in love so earnestly that the self-imposed loss of agency slips past you—you hold the pistol at your own foot, not him. Eroding your own dreams, career, time, identity, and agency so deeply and dangerously for the sake of love is something I don’t dream of—the act of silently losing yourself for another person. The fear deepens when I think of the women in my family—fierce, defiant—who also became wives through great sacrifice. So, it seems like my fate is already sealed. This is a bit of an odd love letter to them as well.”
@mirarmediagroup video
@jigna_photography photo cover
@zzazzproductions executive producer
@curioexperience event partner
@zazusalons hair and makeup 🔥
Congratulations to our 2026 First Place winner **and** first ever Best in Contruction Award winner @emmamariefashion from @dominicanufashion!
Collection Inspo:
My collection explores the beauty of women through transparency, structure, and softness. I was inspired by the idea of contrast, how strength and delicacy can exist at the same time within a garment. I focused on layering sheer and structured materials to create pieces that feel ethereal yet intentional. Each look is built to highlight movement and light, allowing the fabric to interact with the body in a way that feels expressive and modern. The construction emphasizes clean lines and thoughtful detailing, balancing minimalism with moments of intricate design work that reflect my approach to contemporary womenswear.
#DriehausFashionAwards
@mirarmediagroup video
@zzazzproductions executive producer
@zazusalons hair & makeup
@curioexperience event partner
@molisepr PR & event director
⭐️CONGRATS TO OUR DDI CLASS OF `26 WINNERS! ⭐️
⭐️First Place and Best Construction Award: Emma Mendell @emmamariefashion - @dominicanufashion
⭐️Second Place: Amaya Marjorie Lewicki @missalew - @saicfashiondesign
⭐️Third Place: Manahel Al Mosleh @manaheldesign - @saicfashiondesign (Katrin Schnabl accepting on behalf)
⭐️Distinguished Designer Award for Retail Readiness: Allison Galvan @galvallis - @dominicanufashion
⭐️Fashion Innovator Award: Jun Chen @_jun.c_ - @saicfashiondesign
Enormous thanks to our judges:
Peach Carr @peach_carr
Mark Roscoe
Wendy Krimins/Neiman Marcus
Robin Harris modelatelier
Michael Anderson @chicagomuseum @chicagocostumecouncil
Photos by Allen Bourgeois Photography
Who will take home the GRAND prize $10,000 this week? Last year our judges awarded designer Parker Smith, @parkernormal for his incredible collection!
-Collection Inspo: I tend to think in contrasts. In the context of my academic end, I wanted to move toward the beginning. What lies at the very start? What is most sacred, most foundational? When I strip everything back, what is behind the foliage obscuring the light?
This collection treats the woods as a divine force, exploring
silhouettes that feel monolithic
and severe. I reference garments
from cultures the western world
views as primitive, but I find wiser.
Appreciating shapes found in a
range from traditional Buddhist
dress to aboriginal ceremony. The primitivism and purity of the
woods echoes through the stark
rectangles, triangles, and circles of silk and flax, with moments of fuzz and bloom. Pillars of form create shamanistic entities and ominous figures. Moments of color and shine become pulse points between stark contrasts of lightest lights and darkest darks.
Woodsong is my grand genesis.
@jigna_photography photo credit
@zzazzproductions
@molisepr
@curioexperience
mission statement
Driehaus Design Initiative
Driehaus Design Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established to promote and encourage design education and to foster public appreciation and understanding of all aspects of fashion design and history. Driehaus Design Initiative hosts the annual Driehaus Fashion Awards and supports other fashion and design endeavors in Chicago.
