Articles

Fashion Fusion celebrates 10 years with a stunning, iconic tribute to Frida Kahlo

By Donald Sparks, HCC Central Communications Director

Feb 17, 2026


HCC Fashion Design student Tanya Roche walks with her model wearing her winning design “Hummingbird” in the Reengineer: Repurpose the Forgotten category.HCC Fashion Design student Tanya Roche walks with her model wearing her winning design “Hummingbird” in the Reengineer: Repurpose the Forgotten category.

As a woman of Mexican descent, Tanya Roche always felt drawn to the esteemed artist Frida Kahlo, known for her self-portraits of pain, passion and vibrant colors. Roche, a 47-year-old Houston City College (HCC) Fashion Design student, originally from Queens, New York, used to buy clothing and dress like the famous artist in different phases of her life.

“Frida’s work is more than just bold in color and culture; it is a thesis in love, heartbreak, suffering, endurance, breaking limitations and stigmas, and turning something awful into something beautiful,” Roche said.

Now she is rejoicing after creating one of the winning designs for the Fashion Fusion X: “Frida: The Making of an Icon” Runway Show, held on Friday, Jan. 30, at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). Fashion Fusion is a competition and runway show co-developed by the award-winning fashion design program at HCC and MFAH.

Her piece titled “Hummingbird” won best for the Reengineer: Repurpose the Forgotten Category. For that category, designers deconstructed and rebuilt thrifted or discarded textiles into new silhouettes, highlighting craftsmanship and the creative potential of repurposed materials.

“The design I chose was a massive challenge that pushed me far out of my wheelhouse,” Roche explained. “I work and have a family, so often I would be doing my work late at night.”

Upon hearing her name called for winning her category, she fought back tears of joy.

“I had to remind myself to take it all in to enjoy the moment. The bonus was hearing my husband chant the Mexican Grito, and my daughters screaming, ‘Mom, you did it!’ It meant everything to me.”

This marked the 10th year of the competition, with 27 designers featured and, for the first time, HCC Fashion Design alumni ranging from graduates from nearly 20 years ago to the most recent alumni. The categories were heavily influenced by key themes found in Frida Kahlo’s artwork.

“Using those themes, we created some of the most challenging and concept-driven categories the competition has seen, pushing designers to think beyond traditional construction, materials and gender norms,” said HCC Fashion Design Instructor Vi Hua.

The categories were:

  • Reimagine: Reinvent Menswear: Designers transformed traditionally feminine garments into menswear, blending softness and structure to explore masculinity through a more fluid lens. All looks were presented on male models, challenging conventional menswear silhouettes.
  • Regenerate: Reconstruct Fashion: This category focused on creating wearable designs from unconventional materials. Designers pushed boundaries in texture, form, and concept, redefining what clothing can be made from.
  • Reengineer: Repurpose the Forgotten: This category focused on deconstructing and rebuilding thrifted or discarded textiles into new silhouettes, highlighting craftsmanship and the creative potential of repurposed materials.
  • Reveal: Transform on the Runway Designs featured a live transformation during the runway show, using movement, structure, or layering to surprise the audience and showcase innovation in real time.

“Participants truly rose to the challenge,” Hua said. “Alumni entries clearly reflected how their skills and aesthetics have matured over the years, while current students tended to take a more cautious approach. Together, the range of work speaks to the strength of the HCC Fashion Design program and its ability to support designers at every stage of their creative journey.”

HCC Alumna Kim Lai was living in New York and preparing to move back to Houston in the fall when she found out Fashion Fusion was open to past graduates. The timing of the event aligned with her move, allowing her the opportunity to enter.

“I was on a hiatus from fashion design when I learned about the competition, and taking part in it rekindled and renewed my love for design,” Lai said. “Delving into Frida’s work and creating a piece that told a portion of her story was deeply inspiring, and I learned so much about her life and art in the process.”

Lai’s return to Houston paid off as she won the Reengineer category for her design “Appearances.”

The winners are as follows:

Student Winners
Reimagine: Darrion Nguyen – “Blossoms in Maroon”
Regenerate: Remi Erinle – “Beauty Around the World”
Reengineer: Tanya Roche –"Hummingbird”
Reveal: Veronica Moore – “Agony in the Garden”

Alumni Winners
Reimagine: Tatyana Miller – “El Cantor”
Regenerate: Ebonie Sophus – “The Blooming Confluence”
Reengineer: Kim Lai – “Appearances”
Reveal: Estefania Espindola – “Resiliences”

Audience Choice Winner
Estefania Espindola: “Proudly Tehuano”

The winning designs will be on display at the MFAH through the end of March.

For more information on the Fashion Design program at HCC, visit hccs.edu/fashiondesign.

HCC Fashion Design alumna Kim Lai walks with her model wearing her winning design “Appearances” in the Reengineer: Repurpose the Forgotten category.HCC Fashion Design alumna Kim Lai walks with her model wearing her winning design “Appearances” in the Reengineer: Repurpose the Forgotten category.