By Grace Esquibel, May 5, 2026
Designers at the Vintage Revival fashion show dusted off the archives and took inspiration from past eras of fashion with their own flare of modernity, utilizing the skills they’ve acquired through their Apparel Merchandising and Management courses.
The 14th annual student-run show April 24 presented by Cal Poly Pomona’s Fashion Society.
featured collections with a personal touch from each designer, whether it be inspiration from classic fashion periods or from ancestral roots.
The collections did not stop at fashion periods. Some designers incorporated their own cultures using classic Latinx pieces such as serape prints, lace ribbons and luchador masks. Others incorporated concerns with the political and ecological state of the world.
Lukas Barkume, one of the designers and an apparel merchandising and management student, curated a line of old sailor inspired outfits with red, white and blue hues while a memorial video for victims of Immigration and Customs Enforcement violence played in the back. One model draped an American flag across her back and threw it over her back before kissing it, alluding to the designer’s anger with the current administration.
Barkume ended his collection by yelling into the mic, “Chinga la migra.”
Aliyah Dubon, another designer and AMM student, explained she aimed to honor her cultural routes by showcasing the intricate designs of Mexican and Guatemalan fashion, taking inspiration from the Mayan and Aztec traditional clothing.
Roses and feathers peeked out of the top of the earth-toned dresses as they flowed down the runway, becoming one with the model. She also utilized the bold colors of Mexico’s flowers, marigolds, that are primarily used for Dia de los Muertos.
“We have to represent, and we have to own where we come from,” Dubon said.
She explained she wanted to subtly aim at the ICE raids affecting immigrants, emphasizing it is an important time to create art.
Dubon’s theme had a personal touch of many hand painted elements. She was inspired by traditional Aztec dancers and artwork.
The Aztec artists were called painter-writers. They used paintings to record history rather than just words because they felt the visual element was essential to grasping the narrative, according to The Center for Public Art History.
“That’s where I drew inspiration from,” Dubon said. “So, I (painted) Guatemala’s national bird, which is seen as a symbol of freedom, hope and new beginnings.”
Another one of her pieces was an emerald green suit that had a hand painted jaguar across the back. Aaron Garcia’s long stature blended with the bell bottom pants and two side pieces that swayed across his legs as he turned around at the end of the runway.
Garcia carried ‘90s runway chic energy that Dubon said she took inspiration from as she constructed her pieces.
“I took inspiration from who they are as people,” Dubon said. “And I definitely wanted their outfits to embody their spirits and who they are.”
Garcia said he was not surprised at how people marveled at the hand painted piece on the back of the suit, since he had always been inspired by the creativity Dubon showcases in her work.
“I was still taken aback,” Garcia said. “When I found out that was all hand painted, I thought that was so incredible and insane.”
The last collection alluded to the fast fashion industry. A video of landfills filled with piles of clothes and the words “fashion is toxic” played in the back. The dresses had a rough, choppy look, yet were decorated with glow–in–the–dark paint that illuminated the models as they walked down the runway.
AMM lecturer and designer Elke Tetschner and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists student showcase utilized fabrics and pieces that were donated to CPP.
“Instead of going to the landfill, I made them into party dresses,” Tetschner said.
Tetschner explained she incorporates ecological teachings into her courses because of the state that fast fashion has left the ecosystem. She elaborated on sweat shops, and the safety concerns surrounding them.
The designs spanned from Harlequin-jester print to splotches of neon green and pink. Tetschner said she took inspiration from nature by airbrushing veins onto the dresses that represented the intricacies of flowers and leaves.
“They all represent the damage that we are causing to nature and to us,” Tetschner said.
