Designer Profile 2023: Otis Gordon

Hello! I’m Otis and I’m a third year majoring in Psychology and Visual Arts, also minoring in Neuroscience. I DJ for WHPK and Midway Radio, and I play jazz guitar.

What are three words that describe your collection?

I'm going to say technology, metal, and paint.  

Who embodies your design?

The robot from CHAPPiE.  

image via

Tell me more about your collection!

I'm going to be using metal sheets to construct a skirt. I also am using dyed fabrics inspired by Sam Gilliam. And I'm trying to play with the interplay between hard shell technology and machinery with organic forms made from fabrics and paint. I love creative coding and technology.

What are your inspirations / influences?

Hussein Chalayan is a designer I love who mixes technology and art and fashion. Other than that, some big inspirations of mine have to do with going to art museums and experiencing the ways that painters and artists push the boundaries of medium and shape and form. They inspire me a lot as a Visual Arts major doing fashion as well.  

Hussein Chalayan, image via

Looking back at your design journey with MODA, what have you learned? what are you focusing on this year?

Looking back at my three years of doing MODA, I would say that I've learned how difficult it is to construct not only a piece, but a piece that you're happy with, and you know, from ideation to actual execution, so much could change even right before show day. So that's the part I like about creating fashion is always the pushing and pulling. It's almost like pushing around oil paint on a canvas. You know one thing could bleed into another thing which inspires you to do something and it's so dynamic and I love it. So, this year I'm trying to focus a lot on creating interesting silhouettes and try my best to get better at craftsmanship and sewing and all that.  

Fashion advice for first-time show attendees? 

Does that mean like what to expect or what to where? I guess for first time MODA show, fashion... I would say if you're inspired by it, if you like fashion and have interest in it, sewing is not as hard as it seems. All you have got to do is just buy some fabrics. And the best thing you can do is just go out there and do it. Even if it's going to Goodwill and buying some clothes to, you know, rip out and cut up and Frankenstein back together. If you're interested in fashion, wearing your own clothes, designing clothes is such a joy, and it's not as hard as it seems, so go and do it.  

What is your favorite thing about the show?

My favorite thing about the show is being backstage with all the models and everyone's super nervous and it's just really exciting. Everyone thinks it's going to go terribly wrong and they're going to trip and all that and just holding your breath as your first model comes out is just really wonderful.