Self-watering planters that improve air quality and alert users to risk. Fashion that transforms gendered words into powerful symbols of passion. A reimagined classroom designed to foster active learning. These are some of the bold and innovative student projects presented at the Cornell Fashion & Design Expo on April 25, the annual juried exhibition hosted by the Department of Human Centered Design (HCD).
This year’s theme, Challenging Convention in 2025, honors Cornell Human Ecology’s (CHE) centennial year. HCD faculty selected 17 individual and group projects for their ingenuity, creativity and commitment to human thriving. From eco-conscious hotel rooms to a fashion collection exploring women’s reproductive freedom, the projects span interior design, product design, fashion design and fiber science, representing all CHE design majors.
“These student projects exemplify the future of design and how it will evolve over the next 100 years,” said Rachel Dunifon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of CHE. “They also reflect CHE’s interdisciplinary nature, touching on environmental science and sustainability, psychology and computational science.”
Margaret Watkins ’27 introduces her fashion collection “the Semantics of Style.” The dress behind her uses resin to make it look as if the model is consumed by flames. Top: Sofia Mattson M.S. '26 and Daniel (Yijie) Hsu '27 present Lead Lumen, a plant pot that monitors indoor air quality.
Grace Honeyman ’25 is partnering with Dump & Run and Goodwill of the Finger Lakes to develop a scalable initiative that resells unwanted student clothing after move-out. The project expands on her research into recycling personal protective equipment in the lab of Tamer Uyar, associate professor in HCD.
“Many of our local resale partners are at capacity with donations and many items still end up in the landfill,” she said. “But Goodwill has a national distribution network and a commitment to decreasing exported textile waste.”
A hallmark of the Expo is human connection, as students engage directly with alumni, industry professionals and Cornell community members to share their design thinking.
"Our students approach design with a critical mindset, integrating contemporary challenges into their work,” said Kim Phoenix ’12, M.A. ’18, senior lecturer in HCD. “They are not just creating for aesthetic appeal—they are designing with purpose and impact. The Expo serves as a great forum to showcase their work."
THERMO/CHROMIC, by Margaret Tsai ’27, is a collection of garments that change color based on heat, blending fiber science and art. Tsai worked with Olympic medalist Karen Chen ’25 and members of the Cornell Figure Skating Club. The skaters provided insights into fit, movement and heat tracking on the body.
“I’m impressed with the students’ talent, both artistic and technical,” said Jeannette Peréz Rosselló ’91. “There’s a lot of breadth. The project where the fabric changes with temperature, as a physician I was thinking, how could this apply to patients with fever?”
Other projects included a futuristic, mobile hotel room inspired by 11th-century art, created by Yucheng Shu ’26, Jill Zhang ’26 and Julia Zhang ‘26, and a fashion collection by Lila Frost ‘25 created with natural dyes and locally sourced wool to honor Eastern-European Jewry.
Explore all 17 projects and meet the 25 student designers featured in this year’s Cornell Fashion & Design Expo.