Phoebe Sofia Dragseth

Fashion Design Collections

NYFW F/W 2024

“Topologi”

Blanc / Noir

As my final collection at Brown University, Blanc Noir reflects the daunting feeling of an uncertain future. Ending University, we as students often feel that our futures will be clear, Black and White. We are fitted with rich skills and told that thousands of doors will be open to us. But, as I enter the creative world, I uncover that this industry and this adult life is nothing but uncertain. Through this collection, I embrace that ambiguity, finding joy in the unknown. Drawing inspiration from the dichotomy between certainty and ambiguity, Blanc Noir celebrates the complexities of the creative process. At first glance, the collection may seem to adhere to conventional norms, with its clean lines, monochromatic palette, and timeless silhouettes. Yet, upon closer inspection, one discovers the subtle nuances and details of each textile that alter expectations. In today's fast-paced fashion landscape, where trends come and go with dizzying speed, uncertainty can breed anxiety and doubt. The pressure to innovate and stay relevant can be overwhelming, leading many creatives to question their place in the industry. However, Blanc Noir offers a different perspective, viewing uncertainty not as a hindrance, but as a catalyst for innovation and growth. Each garment in the Blanc Noir collection tells a story of resilience and adaptation, embodying the spirit of creative exploration in the face of uncertainty. From experimental fabrications to unexpected juxtapositions of texture and form, every design reflects the joy of pushing boundaries and embracing the unknown. Through Blanc Noir, I invite you to embrace the beauty of uncertainty and find inspiration in the unexpected. In a world where the future may seem uncertain, creativity becomes our guiding light, illuminating new paths and possibilities.

Models: Zoe Ubamadu, Angela Lian, Fiona Walther, Nene Mokonchu, Nicole Shokry

Special Thanks to: Brown Arts Institute (BAI) for supplying a grant for this project, Fashion@Brown for providing me with the space to show my collection

“This is the biggest show we’ve ever done, and it sold out in like 15 seconds,” Dragseth said, expressing her pride at how much the club had accomplished throughout her four years at Brown.
— Brown Daily Herald

Read more from the Brown Daily Herald here


Topologi

Topologi weaves together the realms of math and fashion, conjuring whimsical silhouettes that bridge the dimensions of the seen and unseen, using soft textiles that evoke a serene sense of peace, transforming the abstract into visible beauty.

Topologi

Topologi is the culmination of semesters of interdisciplinary research into the relationship between mathematics and fashion design. Cloaked in soft hues of white and blue, and wrapped in textiles commonly used in bedding, Phoebe seeks to invoke feelings of calm and peace, sentiments not often attributed to the study of mathematics. By pulling shapes that exist only in the fourth or higher dimension down into dimensions visible by the human eye, voluminous and whimsical silhouettes are created, reminding the viewer that a field as scientific and intimidating as math can indeed inspire imagination and create true beauty.

Models: Zoe Ubamadu, Angela Lian, Pamil Tamelessio, Ethan McDowell, Cecilia Marrinan

Photography: Karl Swenson, Rozella Kim

Special Thanks To:

  • Brown Arts Initiative - For supplying a generous grant to support Phoebe’s research and creative expression

  • Professor Richard Schwartz

  • Professor Charles Daly

  • Rhode Island Fashion Week

  • Fashion@Brown

“I’ve really fallen in love with connecting my math major with my love of fashion and using design as a way to bring lots of different people into the math community ... Taking these equations and these shapes that usually only exist in math and bringing them into something that most people can wrap their minds around, like fashion, is a really great way to bridge those gaps.”

— Brown Daily Herald

Read More from the Brown Daily Herald Here


‘’Fleeting Fragility”

For Fashion@Brown’s Spring 2022 Runway Show

Bound by corsets, this collection encapsulates the great fortitude of femininity, as Phoebe pays homage to her heart's medical and emotional journey. Moving from graceful, flowering red, to stark, constricting black and then fragile, flowing blue, we explore the strength and fragility of the heart as we venture through joy, darkness, and chaos to find freedom and confidence.

Models: Pepper Greenley, Zoe Ubamadu, Cecilia Marrinan, Areshva Aisha Mir, Phoebe Dragseth

Makeup, Hair, and Photography Courtesy of Fashion@Brown’s Hair and Makeup and Photography Teams

As featured in StyleWeekOctober 14, 2022 - Providence, RI

As Featured In

Rhode Island Monthly

Access the Article Here

“Invitation to Follow” - a Film by Rozella Kim


“Spiritual Serenity”

For Body. Cloth. Motion @ Brown Fashion Week 2021

Mind silent, Phoebe absorbs the countless religious images of her childhood and gifts them upon her collection. Akin to a river, a beautiful force lacking greed or consciousness, the garments merely reflect back Phoebe’s long hours studying light and windows, craning her head towards vaulted infinities, and feeling the echo of words. More than a love letter to long hours of her childhood, Phoebe’s collection also reconciles the role of women in these beautiful spaces and adorns them in impenetrable yet liberating armor, shoulders square or bare.

Models: Cecilia Marrinan, Phoebe Dragseth

Photographers: Jesse Hogan, Abani Neferkara

Featured In 


Individual Pieces

Aurora Borealis

Pinstriped Jumpsuit

 

“The Weight of the Past” - Newspaper and Muslin - 22”x65”x21”- Piece for Modern Literature Course - based on the novel “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”

Prom Dress Commissions

 
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