Fashion’s Blueprint for the Future

The Importance of Fashion Collaboration in Education: an exclusive editorial featuring the main fashion education representatives of South Florida: Istituto Marangoni Miami, Miami Fashion Institute at Miami Dade College, St. Thomas University and the Fashion Institute of Florida.

Mena Lombard

Updated 10:27 am EST, December 12, 2024

Published 01:03 am EST, December 12, 2024

Featuring the main fashion education representatives of South Florida:

Mario Braghieri, Istituto Marangoni Miami
Oscar Lopez, Miami Fashion Institute at Miami Dade College
Ashlee Rzyczycki, St. Thomas University
Rucht D’Oleo-Schwartz, Fashion Institute of Florida
Charlene Parsons, former Miami International University

Creative Director: Nestor Camacho
Hair & Make-up Artist: Juan Carlos Tejera, Ruxandra Milea-Popa
Wig Stylist: Juan Carlos Tejera
Assistant Stylist: Liam Myers
Accessories: Stash Wardrobe
Nails: Orr Azari
Fashion Designers: Gustavo Cadile, Monicaschusterdesign
Models: Jenny Cruz @ Select Model Management, Allie Rokanas @ Premier Model Management, Franco Braghieri
Production Assistant: Camila Abuchaibe
Photographer: Flávio Iryoda
Videographer: Jesús Molina
Retoucher: Luis Aponte

Location: Juan Carlos Atelier de Beaute

Fashion

Fashion’s Blueprint for the Future

Mena Lombard

Updated 10:27 am EST, December 12, 2024

Published 01:03 am EST, December 12, 2024

Featuring the main fashion education representatives of South Florida:

Location: Juan Carlos Atelier de Beaute

My car is a lifeline. I have never been interested in cars, machines, or anything mechanical for that matter, but the way my life is built, my car is a huge element. I commute a lot because I live far from where I work, from where everything I do takes place. And so my time on the road becomes invaluable because I make it worthwhile.

Morning commutes are for retrospection with music and podcasts. Evening commutes are for catching up with either friends or family. The one thing that I almost never do is drive in absolute silence. Silence makes me think too much about all the things that I am concerned about, the things I have yet to do, the things that I am behind with… that stresses me too much.

Blue Dress: Gustavo Cadile. Pink Dress: Monicaschusterdesign. Menswear: Nestor Camacho

A Day of Contrasts

It is the morning of a sunny Sunday, and I am driving to one of our anniversary editorial photoshoots while I am listening to a podcast that is talking about the very complicated, real, and dangerous issue of misinformation. I love seeing how a medium like a podcast is being used as a platform to fight misinformation. It is a compelling topic and one that not only creates alternate unreal realities but also fosters division, another very real and complicated current issue.

The people in the podcast are talking about how dangerous misinformation is and how it is so fundamentally tied to division. My mind goes straight to the topic of division because the day before, I witnessed a heated discussion between two friends about a soccer match, an argument that escalated unnecessarily and felt entirely avoidable. This thought took me to the week before when two neighbors fought over the decision to keep grass or put gravel around the HOA pool area.

Another instance where the argument escalated, with one accused of being environmentally unfriendly and the other criticized for ignoring the importance of cleanliness. The relentless focus on our differences is deeply concerning, as these small conflicts reflect a larger pattern that we are experiencing time and again in society: how minor differences, amplified by misinformation, can escalate into unnecessary divides.

Womenswear wardrobe: Stash Wardrobe. Menswear Wardrobe: Nestor Camacho

I arrive at the location of the photoshoot, and I am absolutely taken away by it. It is Juan Carlos Atelier De Beaute, this fantastic hair salon in Coral Gables, Florida, where once you go through its doors, you are transported to an antique Parisian beauty parlor, exquisitely decorated, with music filling the air and every corner humming with creative energy.

The owner, Juan Carlos Tejera, welcomed me with open arms, and I automatically felt at home. Around me, the entire team is busy at work. Some models are getting hair and make-up done, stylists are steaming garments, and the photographer is testing lights. There is a very special group of models that are busy at work with their computers, wearing impeccable lab coats and looking very put together and absolutely smart. I go straight to them.

The Architects of the Future

Sitting together and wearing white are the heads of four different fashion institutions in Miami, plus our iconic Charlene Parsons – one of the most respected fashion education professionals in South Florida. Some of them are working with their laptops, others are chatting; they all see me and, smiling, say hi at the same time. I immediately feel very blessed.

I look around the group and realize how many of them I have had the privilege to work with over the years. These are people who have been shaping the fashion industry of South Florida with their experience and knowledge for a long time. I happen to be a product of their guidance, their example, and their expertise because they have shared it with me so generously.

“Building ethical leadership requires a good value system. We want to build ethical leaders but also change agents. If they will be making decisions that will impact many, they need to be shaped with a good value system that will allow them to overcome divides.”

Ashlee Rzyczycki - Fashion Merchandising & Design Program Director St., Thomas University

These educators are more than mentors; they are architects of the future. Through their collaboration, they not only expand opportunities for students but also exemplify how unity and shared purpose can dismantle competition and foster progress.

They understand that the work we do goes beyond the classroom walls: it is about shaping an informed, resilient fashion community. In our industry, misconceptions, whether about sustainability, labor practices, or cultural appropriation, carry high stakes and fuel division. But by grounding our work in truth and expertise, we become part of the antidote to misinformation.

Common Ground

The inspiration behind this editorial is fashion as a common ground, showcasing the strength there is in fashion collaboration. One by one, each model, some in eccentric garments and others in professional lab coats, takes the place the photographer indicates.

I watch behind the scenes as the photographer moves each model, each light, and each prop to get the perfect shot, like a music director guiding a concert. While he is doing this, the educators talk and laugh, and they provide ideas to both the photographer and each other, of what each of them can do and the different roles they can play in the shot.

“The world has become a small place, and everything is connected. Collaboration is a part of it.”

Rucht D’Oleo-Schwartz - Founder & CEO, Fashion Institute of Florida

The synergy and the ease that is taking place is something beautiful to witness because it shows in a very natural way how coming together fosters creativity and mutual respect. Watching the models and educators collaborate so effortlessly felt like witnessing a microcosm of what the world could be: creativity flowing freely, unencumbered by differences or competition.

Each model brought their unique energy to the lens, and I saw it as an interplay of contrasts that harmonized beautifully under the photographer’s direction. It is undeniable that fashion can transcend boundaries. It has the universal appeal to ignite conversations, foster connections, and remind us that, despite our differences, creativity is a force that unites. In this space, fashion isn’t just an industry; it’s a catalyst for collaboration and a testament to what we can achieve when we come together with purpose.

Unity Through Education

I immediately remembered that quote that talks about the sum of the parts being larger than the parts individually. This editorial exemplifies the unifying potential of fashion because it showcases educators finding harmony despite institutional rivalries. The harmony relies on each part focusing on the common goal they have so they are able to come together under a shared objective.

Pink Dress: Monicaschusterdesign. Red Dress: Gustavo Cadile. Menswear: Nestor Camacho

While talking with all of them, it becomes clear that collaboration in education means more than just coming together to amplify the students’ opportunities. It means that you are setting an example of being able to coexist with your differences without feeling threatened by them. Collaboration does not eliminate rivalries. What it does is kill division.

A Fashionable Solution to Division

In a world that is torn by division, we must be aware that when we focus on our differences, we are not just fostering division, but we are also shaping a future that is divided as well. It can be easy to come together when you have the intention. In the end, as much as there are differences, there is also common ground. You just must have the intention to find it.

“Collaboration has to be intentional, and as educators, we have made a point of amplifying collaborative initiatives, focusing on our common goal: our students. We find ways to collaborate with one another here in Miami to create an ecosystem, a community that supports students.”

Oscar Lopez - Chairperson, Fashion Program, Miami Fashion Institute at Miami Dade College

Fashion is a universal common ground. No one escapes fashion because no one leaves their house naked. Fashion is intimate and deeply personal, but it is also fun, interesting, and endlessly creative. Can these educators embody the answer to our biggest problems and threats? They exemplify the very antidote to misinformation, educating through facts and knowledge. Even in matters of aesthetics, their work is grounded in truth and expertise, a powerful counter to the falsehoods that divide us.

“I think that in the future we will see more cross-collaborating experiences or exchange programs. I think that we are building a future where collaboration will be easier, because it will be more flexible, if we use it as a value.”

Mario Braghieri - Dean of Fashion, Istituto Marangoni Miami

These educators came today, some not even knowing each other, united by the purpose of fashion, which transcends the threat of competition. And they had fun. They were nice and respectful. They shared bagels and coffee. They talked, joked, and collaborated. At the end of the day, standing firm in your beliefs removes the need to seek validation from others, and belonging doesn’t require others to mirror you. While looking for common ground, if you don’t find it, maybe you can agree that one thing we have in common is that we are all different because we are all unique. And acknowledging that is to see the world the way it truly is, accepting it in its true nature.

“We also provide them with a student centric type of education that does not finish when they graduate. Because that is the way communities work.”

Charlene Parsons, former Fashion Director - Miami International University of Art & Design

The Power of Collaboration

New generations practice what their previous generations preach, and it takes a lot of time to undo that. What we do today will shape our kids’ tomorrow. As an educator myself, I have always felt that education is not only the path to freedom but also the path to solution. Education is the main basis to fight misinformation, but it also fights division because education fosters inclusion and diversity, which are at the opposite end of the spectrum where division stands.

Red Dress: Stash Wardrobe. Black Dress: Gustavo Cadile. Menswear: Nestor Camacho

Driving home from the photoshoot, I reflected on how this day epitomized the antidote to division. Collaboration rooted in respect and shared purpose. Just as my commute bridges my work and my home, intentional collaboration can bridge divides, fostering a future built on understanding. Being in this editorial and writing about it makes me realize fashion can be a tool for unity and collaboration as a path forward in divided times.

And while I take the exit from the highway, I wonder, is this a recipe we could follow? Are knowledge and common ground, the essential, or better yet, the non-negotiable ingredients we need to build our future? Are they the answers to our biggest social threats? Perhaps this editorial is the blueprint for that answer. Time will tell, but one thing is certain: fashion’s power to unite lies in its ability to bring people together in ways we may not yet fully understand.

Mena Lombard

Chief Content Officer | Instagram

Fashion Designer and Professor, Mena believes that fashion completely transcends the surface and the most important is how one feels rather than anything else. Fashion is really about how empowered one becomes by it. She channels vibrant flares of vintage fashion and dreams of contemporary twists, inspired by her own life and travels.

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