Metal side tables informed by foliage in subtropical estuaries are among the projects by the College for Creative Studies.

Also featured are illustrations depicting Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and “liberated” clothing that references early 20th-century lingerie advertisements.

College for Creative Studies

School: College for Creative Studies
Showcase: Alumni Exhibition
Courses: Fashion Design, Illustration and Crafts

School statement:

“The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a world-renowned art and design institution based in Detroit, Michigan, the only UNESCO City of Design in the US.

“Founded in 1906, CCS was established during the Detroit arts and crafts movement. It is the first institution to recognise automobiles as an art form, and also the first college in the US to offer a three-year bachelor’s programme in fashion business management.

“Guest curated by CCS fine arts alumnus Peter Mallo, SEGUE highlights seven artists who received foundational training at CCS before relocating their lives and practices to New York.

“Adapting to the unique challenges and opportunities of the city, these artists experienced a transition similar to a segue in music, fundamentally altering the rhythm and structure of their creative practice.

“While many institutions lean heavily into technological output, CCS maintains a steadfast commitment to skill, curiosity and the human touch.

“The featured artists embody this focus on the handmade, and continue to push the boundaries of their materials. The training they received at CCS is evident in the deep sensitivity to materiality. SEGUE presents seven stories of artistic growth, experimentation and resilience.”

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Barckhöltz by Clay Barckholtz

“Clay Barckholtz is the founder of Barckhöltz, a fashion brand that began during his final year at the College for Creative Studies in 2024.

“Developed alongside his senior thesis, the brand grew out of themes and ideas centred around the triumph of nature over mechanical
pursuits.

“These explorations formed industrial themes that now define the identity of Barckhöltz. The brand’s first product, the Assembly Boot, was released in Fall 2024.

“Since then, the brand has explored jewellery, small leather goods and men’s ready-to-wear apparel. Footwear and leather goods remain at the heart of the brand, building on design practices established during Barckholtz’s studies at the College for Creative Studies.”

Student: Clay Barckholtz
Course: Fashion Design ’24

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Dovvski “.2” by Veronica Wardowski and David Rodriguez

“Dovvski, the amalgamation of both founders’ names, interprets aesthetic, cultural and social dichotomies through a contemporary gothic language.

“A language rooted in the personal closets, objects and narratives that have shaped the way Dovvski interact with the world around them.

“These garments have become vessels for meaning, which are intimate and unapologetic. This is a debut collection of a shared vision in progress.

“Referencing early 20th-century French lingerie ads, Gothic Revival architecture and worn pieces of each founder’s closet, Dovvski contemplates what it truly means to be liberated.

“Ultimately, this collection is an ongoing synthesis of two distinct voices into a singular vision.”

Students: Veronica Wardowski and David Rodriguez
Course: Fashion Design ’26 and ’24

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Illustrations from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Published by The Folio Society 2024 by Nate Sweitzer

“Nate Sweitzer is a Chicago-born illustrator who attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

“In this exhibition, he explores process work and a hard copy of the illustrated edition of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, published by the Folio Society in 2024.

“Included is ‘Miraculously on pitch, a hundred voices sang out Zeebo’s words’, an illustration depicting a jubilant call-and-response with him during Scout and Jem’s visit to Calpurnia’s church, as well as assorted process drawings from other illustrations in the book.”

Student: Nate Sweitzer
Course: Illustration ’22

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Mangrove Table by Scott Strickstein

“Scott Daniel Strickstein is the founder and lead designer at Scott Daniel Design, a Brooklyn-based studio devoted to sculptural lighting and furniture.

“The mangrove series takes direct inspiration from the natural formations of trees and shrubs seen in tropical and subtropical estuaries.

“I have always found beauty in the scraggly roots of these trees and have immense appreciation for their adaptation to live in harsh conditions and ability to blend and mix environments.

“For this design, wire mesh is manipulated by hand to replicate the organic formations of the trees and roots.”

Student: Scott Strickstein
Course: Crafts ’03