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When Dalia Scolnick heard that the Nancy Cantor Warehouse was looking for undergraduate students to curate fashion design exhibitions, she signed up.

Three months later, Scolnick took the Fashion and Design Society fall fashion show, “American Dream re:Fashioned,” and scaled it to an entirely student-curated exhibit.

“The magic is in the process and you can’t overstress on anything,” Scolnick, a Syracuse University junior fashion design student, said. “It’s just a really proud moment for everyone because you never know where this might take anyone-it’s exhilarating.”

The exhibit, which opened on Friday, runs until Dec. 16 at the Sue and Leon Genet Gallery. Scolnick also invited student artists from the College of Visual and Performing Arts to display their work, marking the first formal collaboration between FADS and VPA.

The collaboration between FADS and VPA blended all different mediums, from illustration and handwoven tapestry to winter runway pieces like full-length gowns and hand-stitched leather pants.

Tannah Hines, sophomore member of the FADS, was selected by Scolnick to display one of her runway pieces: a dress fully constructed out of literal trash.

The dress represents the persistence of working-class Americans, Hines said, and how with creativity and resourcefulness Americans can turn “trash into treasure.”

Hines wore one of her own runway pieces to the exhibition’s opening on Dec. 5. The outfit has the same silhouette as the trash dress, but was made of denim and gingham fabrics. Hines said the two dresses show the “diversity of the American experience,” highlighting the story of two women from different socioeconomic classes.
“Although one has less privilege and opportunities, she still enjoys life,” Hines said. “The other wears the classic Americana style, showing how two women who appreciate fashion can have different experiences, but the same hopes.”

In the Sue and Leon Genet Gallery, walls are covered in photographs from FADS’ fashion runways, and a television set up in the main area replays the show. Paintings and quilts from VPA students line the walls, while handmade jackets, dresses and vests hang from the ceiling.

Assembling the fashion pieces in a creative way was a challenge, Scolnick said. By hanging them from the ceiling and mounting pieces to the wall, the exhibit flows freely from illustration to headpiece, concept to concept, she said.

Junior arts student Soup Russell submitted a vest with illustrated faces and a quilt made out of colorful, vibrant fabrics to the exhibition.

They said their work aims to represent Black Americans. It highlights the contributions of the Black community to American culture by challenging stereotypes the community faces through textile art.

Constructed with thrifted fabrics and textiles and set against a blue backdrop, the vest represents Black men as a tender and soft group, Russell said.

With the runway theme of “American Dream re:Fashioned,” FADS and VPA covered the walls of their exhibit with fashion photographs. Some fashion pieces hung from the ceiling while others draped off the walls. Ava Demcher | Staff Writer

In their project proposal, Russell aimed to symbolize jazz culture and American advancements in the arts with his vest, they said. Their work reframes Black men and the community outside of the stereotypes given to them, showing a new way to look at underrepresented groups, Russell said.

Scolnick said she welcomes diverse perspectives, as the exhibit’s goal is to reimagine the American dream, promoting sustainability and representation in the broader culture.

“This is our life. And I want people to see that their work creates an impact on others,” Scolnick said. “To see that every single person has such a unique view on it makes me feel like, I can’t even just put the words to it. It feels so beautiful, and I’m so grateful that I have the privilege of curating it.”

Russell’s other piece in the exhibit, the quilt, depicts them and their partner eating dinner together. They aimed to make the mundane task of sharing a meal feel “beautiful and cutting edge when viewed in another light.”

As a Black, queer American, they said they wanted to give voice to the beauty of relationships that have been previously “unappreciated by popular culture.”

“Having this space that is warm and inviting allows artists to express themselves, and be welcomed with open arms,” Russell said. “Working in a student-led space makes it easier to make connections, and be an individual.”

For Hines and Russell, the student-led exhibit allows FADS members and VPA students to work together toward the common goal of having a successful exhibit. Hines said the collaboration helped open her eyes to other SU artists.

By pitching the exhibit to other members of FADS and VPA students, Scolnick hoped to bring them out of their comfort zone and into a new environment.

“This isn’t for a grade. This is just because,” Scolnick said. “To showcase our work, because we deserve to be seen and we deserve to have a voice. No matter how young we are, we can impact others with art and fashion.”

Published on December 9, 2025 at 11:48 pm