Academy of Art University 2026 Graduating Fashion Designers Present Annual Fashion Show “US NOW”
Designer Roy Halston Frowick to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate, posthumously
SAN FRANCISCO, April 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Academy of Art University unveils “US NOW”, its annual fashion showcase featuring bold, concept-driven collections from the School of Fashion’s class of 2026. Staged in downtown San Francisco for a live audience, the event will also simultaneously stream to a global audience at 7:00 PM PST on Thursday, May 7, 2026, welcoming both the local creative community and international viewers to experience the innovative work of emerging designers who represent fashion’s next generation.
Highlights of the collection include:
- BFA Fashion Designer Brittany Patterson, a U.S. Air Force veteran whose designs are inspired by poppy flowers and camouflage: symbols of remembrance that rewrite uniform codes and celebrate color in everyday life.
- MFA Costume Designer Patric Yikun Wang, who shares a reflection on queer experience and the power of transformation.
- BFA Fashion Designer Fiza Riyas, whose designs are driven by a narrative of intense spiritual expression, representing a childhood memory of the Theyyam ceremony in South India.
- MFA Fashion Designer Eva Kam draws from East and West cultural heritages, blending geometrical structure with softness and fluidity in a collection inspired by Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty.
- BFA Fashion Designer Ella Romano, BFA Fine Art student Justin Federico, and BFA Fashion Design graduate Katelyn Knapp created a collaborative collection titled Substrata, which rejects traditional structure in favor of a process driven by instinct, material, and time, producing silhouettes inspired by geological formations, stalactites, and erosion.
- BFA Fashion Designer Katherine Van Kraut, also turns to nature for inspiration, resulting in a collection utilizing wood and bark in sculptural silhouettes.
“I am inspired by the extraordinary talent and bold vision of this year’s nineteen graduating designers. Each collection reflects not only a mastery of craft, but the discipline, courage, and distinct point of view that define the next generation of fashion” said Elisa Stephens, President at Academy of Art University. “To see their work debut on the runway before members of the fashion press, established industry leaders, and global brand voices is incredibly significant. And through the Academy’s live stream, their work will resonate with audiences around the world. This moment marks not an ending, but a powerful beginning. These collections are more than portfolios—they are declarations of identity and intent, and true springboards into the careers these designers are poised to shape. I could not be more proud of what they have created—and of the impact they are about to make.”
The Honorary Doctorate ceremony will precede the show, honoring the legacy of the designer Roy Halston Frowick (1932 – 1990) whose minimalistic silhouettes and fluid designs determined American style in the 1970s. Brook Frowick Drummond, Halston’s niece and board member of the With Love Halston foundation, will represent the late designer and receive an honorary doctorate from President Stephens.
The award marks the partnership between With Love Halston and the School of Fashion for a tribute collection of ten student designs inspired by the Halston legacy and Halston Official Archives, focusing on floral motifs and designing in the Halston aesthetic. The premiere of this capsule collection will be previewed at the “US NOW” show. This will be followed by a special event on May 8 produced by Union Square Alliance as part of their annual Union Square in Bloom campaign to showcase downtown San Francisco with a fashion show in Union Square Plaza from 1 PM to 3 PM, where the winner of the With Love Halston challenge will be announced by a panel of guest judges.
"The team at With Love Halston strives to honor and uplift Halston's incredible legacy and talent, celebrating the man and genius who pinned American fashion on the map. Honorary Doctorate recognition from Academy of Art University and the opportunity for the With Love Halston design challenge in collaboration with Union Square Alliance's SF in Bloom initiative cement our role in uplifting San Francisco's creative community,” said Brook Frowick Drummond. “We aspire to inform the next generation of fashion designers about Halston's lasting style and elegance that was transformative for American Fashion. We see talent and creativity in each of the students we worked with and appreciate their hard work and dedication to interpreting this challenge."
“We introduce a new Generation of Designers,” said Executive Director of the School of Fashion, Neil Gilks. “The latest cohort of our fashion students are redefining the runway as a platform for self- expression, critical dialogue, political comment and personal storytelling. Moving beyond aesthetics, these emerging designers use fashion to engage with issues such as beauty, identity, power, climate, and justice. Each collection reflects a distinct point of view, transforming garments into statements that challenge, question, and provoke. Rooted in diverse experiences, their work demonstrates a commitment to using design as a form of communication.”
Academy of Art’s 2026 graduating designers have received guidance from the School of Fashion’s faculty alongside members of the University’s Fashion Industry Advisory Board, a distinguished network of industry professionals. The board includes Daniel Reynolds, Senior Design Director at Print Tory Burch; Helen Bullock, fashion illustrator and print designer; Alex Brownless, CEO and Co-Founder of Arts Thread and the Global Design Graduate Show; Jane Francis, Artist, Designer, Creative Practitioner, Gallerist, and Researcher; Simon O’Mahony, Head of Creative Talent Acquisition, Gap Inc.; Tessa Ito, Global Omni-Channel Merchandising & Product Strategist; and Justin Newlin, Director for Executive Search for Creative, Design and Product at PVH: Calvin Klein + Tommy Hilfiger.
International industry experts attending the event include Dean Sidaway, Mariana Vidal Escabi, Diego Cristancho, Milen Krastev, Heeson Kang, and Tomomi McMasters. Advisory Board member and industry guests’ bios will be available at FashionSchoolDaily.com.
The 2026 Academy of Art 7:00 PM “US NOW” Fashion Show is by invitation only. The live stream of the event is free to access by RSVP here. The public is welcome to attend a 2:30 PM preview of the “US NOW” Fashion Show and may reserve tickets here.
In the days leading to the show you can meet all the designers in the show and read their bios at AcademyArt.edu/runway, on Instagram at @AcademyUFashion, and the blog FashionSchoolDaily.com. A selection of hi-res images with their credits and designer sketches can be found here and at AcademyArt.edu/Runway.
For more information, please visit https://www.academyart.edu
About Academy of Art University
Established in 1929, Academy of Art University is one of the largest private, accredited art and design schools in the nation. As one of the oldest art schools located in San Francisco, the epicenter of culture and technology, Academy of Art University offers more than 129 accredited degree programs—available online and on-campus—spanning 70 areas of study, including entertainment arts, advertising, fashion, architecture, game development, music, communications, photography, and more.
About With Love Halston:
Roy Halston Frowick, known simply as Halston, was an American fashion designer who started his career as an illustrator and window display artist in Chicago. He acquired international fame in the 1970s with his minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere, ultra-suede and silk chiffons and jerseys that were a new phenomenon in the high society circles. Essentially, Halston redefined American fashion.
Halston personally appointed his niece Lesley Frowick as guardian of his archives. Her mission is to disseminate the Halston legacy on the highest level. The With Love Halston foundation was founded together with fashion industry experts Audrey Schilt and Scott Vogel and the late Steve Gold launching the scholarship initiative to celebrate Halston on the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2022.
For more information on Union Square in Bloom and Union Square Alliance, please contact Will Reisman at will.reisman@progress-pa.com.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Glodow Nead Communications
Emily Nixon or Sonia Sparks
AcademyArtPR@glodownead.com
Academy of Art University
Jana Memel, Executive Vice President of Brand Storytelling
JMemel@academyart.edu
School of Fashion
Elena Eberhard, PR Office
EEberhard@academyart.edu
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6a68f412-36dd-4919-8e5c-fd4d789ac3c0
Brittany Patterson
Brittany Patterson's designs are inspired by poppy flowers and camouflage: symbols of remembrance that rewrite uniform codes and celebrate color in everyday life.
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