Designer Profile 2023: Jessica Xiong

Jan 1

Jan 1 Designer Profile 2023: Jessica Xiong

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of sitting down with second-year returning designer Jess Xiong to talk about her collection this year. Here’s how it went:

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I’m majoring in Econ and Art History. What else? Second year. Oh yeah, second-year designer for MODA– this will be my second year designing.

Very exciting, welcome back!

What made you interested in design in the first place?

Before I came to UChicago, I was deciding between coming here or going to art school. So, I feel like I've always wanted to involve myself more in the arts since I got here because I felt like since I wasn't going to choose the art school path, I might as well continue pursuing it. I have a passion for all kinds of art, but I feel like I've always been more inclined toward creating art that’s more illustration-based. That was supposed to be a major for art school. So, I really have had no experience working with textiles. Before last year, I had never made anything at all; I hadn’t even touched a sewing machine before I did DBC last year. That was my first experience actually constructing anything.

I mostly got interested in the first place because, when I went to the RSO fair last year, the MODA booth had all of these pretty dresses and other garments on display. I thought it was so cool. On the designer application, they wanted us to draw out our designs, and I thought “Oh! That’s definitely something I can do.” It motivated me to submit my application.

What’s different about your collection this year compared to last year’s?

Honestly, because last year was my first year designing ever, I was not very good at constructing garments. Initially, my designs last year were a lot more complex than they actually turned out to be because I HAD to simplify them in order to be able to make them. I was a beginner for sure, I literally could not make the clothes I had originally designed. I didn’t really know what I could and couldn’t do when it came to making my designs, so in the end, it was a lot more simplified. This year I feel like, having done it once already, I definitely know more about the process which makes it easier to cater my designs to my ability level. When I was making my designs, or even just brainstorming or scrolling through Pinterest, I’m more able to say “I can make this, but I can’t make this”— if that makes sense.

So this year, I tried to not be too idealistic about what I could make. I think it's a lot more about constructing the garments myself— last year it was more of me wanting to make a dress, for example, whereas now, I find myself wanting to create a shape, or achieve a certain silhouette. It was a little bit harder than I thought to be honest. It definitely took a lot more planning and drawing out than it did last year.

Tell me about your collection– what’s the vibe? Were there any specific inspirations for your designs?

I feel like I’m more of a spontaneous designer. I think there’s two types of designers– one type has all of their ideas or designs pre-planned out, and when they go to pick their models they know exactly what type of look they're going for—like they’re looking for someone for their collection. The other type, which is me, has no clue what they’re looking for going into model call. My collection this year was designed around the models themselves. Honestly, it was mostly inspired by the models that I ended up picking. One of my friends is one of my models this year, so I definitely based his look off of his vibe, rather than the other way around. His is a lot of denim, a lot of “reconstructed” elements, and very much the vibe he gives off.

So you tailored the collection to your models? That’s so cool, I’m excited to see them.

Do you have any advice for people who are reluctant but are looking to get into design or the arts in general?

I feel like always keeping a board, or something like that, of inspirational things, is super helpful. For both MODA and drawing, I always keep an album on my phone full of things that inspire me to design or paint. Always keep a collection of inspirations, because I feel like it’s so easy to get into a creative slump and feel unmotivated because of it. That’s the hardest part about art for me— being consistent. When you’re in a slump, you can just look at your inspiration board and hopefully, that can help you get out of it. Like last week I looked at this picture in my album and decided I really wanted to paint it. Something like that is a good place to start, and you can go from there.

Great advice. That’s all I have, thanks for sitting down with me!

Come see Jess’s designs on the runway at the MODA 2023 Fashion Show on February 24th!