Now in its eighth year, the Wearable Art Show presented by Tyler School of Art and Architecture’s fibers and material studies program continues its tradition of showcasing bold, bewildering and beautiful creations handmade by students across the university.

The free event, held this year on April 23 in Tyler’s “green hallway,” invited students of all majors and class years to design, construct and model their own wearable works using fibers and any available materials.

“The Wearable Art Show is a chance for students to put their creative ideas and skills into action to create boundary-pushing garments, accessories and sculptural forms,” said Feather Chiaverini, TYL ’22, fibers and material studies program coordinator and director of the Wearable Art Show. “It’s a great way for students to build their portfolios and celebrate the end of the semester with a splash.”

Emcee Jarbeaux of the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, also known as Rose Jarboe, donned a butterfly-themed ensemble. She performed her own renditions of “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie and “Material Girl” by Madonna in front of an audience of over 300 attendees. DJ Lady Problems and Jarbeux’s band The Allies soundtracked the night and kept the tempo of the catwalk.

Some pieces, such as a quilted menswear suit and a blue silk cocktail dress, were ready-to-wear garments while others, like the papier-mâché deer mask headdress and a fairy queen costume, were more fit for a gallery or Cirque du Soleil.

For some participants, the most exciting part of the show is the process leading up to it.

Tulula Mahmood, a Class of 2027 illustration major from Queens, New York, created and modeled a piece titled Bite the Hand That Feeds You, featuring eyeballs on top of her head and a puppet-inspired, mouth-shaped garment.

“I think a really big part of making art is the process of it, not the cost of it,” said Mahmood. “I was staying up until midnight some nights, but it was so worth it.”

Chiaverini hopes the show inspires attendees in the same way the show inspired him years ago.

“I discovered Temple University and Tyler’s fibers program when I saw photos of the Wearable Art Show,” said Chiaverini. “The show, along with Tyler’s Queer Materials Lab, made me realize that I wanted to enter the art world and exist in this creator community. 10 years later, I’m now running the Wearable Art Show. It’s such a cool, magical moment.”