“‘I would love to see more of a high-fashion presence [in Chicago]. I think that's why so many people who study fashion in Chicago make their way to New York. There isn't really a market or opportunities to showcase or promote that type of work here,’ designer Alex McDermott tells Axios.”

“Attendees at Wednesday's opening night show, which is being presented by Abercrombie & Kent, will also see the finery of such rising stars as Sheila Rashid and Gente Fina, who took part in New York Fashion Week in February, and Chelsea B., a specialist in unique knitwear. The youngest in the field is Alex McDermott, a 2022 graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, who runs I Am Studios.”

“McDermott’s design process is rooted in narrative. ‘My work always starts with writing,’ she says. ‘I need to understand the world the collection exists in before I can create it. The designs are then built from these concepts, which are abstracted into silhouettes and seam lines.’ She goes through multiple phases of editing, ensuring each piece conveys just enough information to allow for personal interpretation. For McDermott, fashion isn’t about providing all the answers; it’s about inviting the audience into a world of discovery.”

“Alex McDermott launched I Am Studios after graduating from the School of the Art Institute in 2022. Specializing in couture, she is inspired 'by her experience with a disabled body' and her designs draw on armor, science fiction, the natural world and classical tailoring.”