Students to Showcase Creations During Chicago Fashion Week

Dominican University’s Fashion Department will join Chicago Fashion Week events for the third consecutive year—this time with a unique marketplace experience.

The DU Fashion Pop-Up Market will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Parmer Hall Atrium.

Approximately 20 vendors—consisting of current fashion students, alumnae/i, local designers and small businesses—will be featured, selling apparel, jewelry, accessories, bridal and special occasion pieces, and other fashion-oriented items. Visitors to the marketplace will have an opportunity to speak with the designers and entrepreneurs to learn about their creative work and businesses, said Melissa Fernandez Carr, Fashion Department chair.

The event is open to the public, and faculty and staff are encouraged to attend.

“We hope visitors leave with a sense of the creative and entrepreneurial talent in our Fashion Department and across the Chicago fashion community,” Fernandez Carr said. “For our students and alumni, it's a chance to show their work, meet industry professionals and see what it's like to market and sell directly to consumers.”

In 2024, when Chicago Fashion Week returned to the metropolitan area, Dominican University hosted an Alumni Fashion Show, featuring the designs of graduates across generations. Last year, historical garments from Dominican’s Sr. Diona McNichols Costume Collection were highlighted in a one-day showcase, open to the public at DU.

“We want our students to see themselves as part of the larger Chicago fashion industry,” Fernandez Carr said, explaining the importance of joining Chicago Fashion Week events. “Experiences like this connect what they learn in class to the real thing. It also lets us highlight our students, alumni and program beyond campus.”

Chicago Fashion Week will take place Oct. 8-18 with a series of runway shows, social events, educational opportunities, exhibits and pop-up markets.