On June 5, at the iconic LA Memorial Coliseum, the Central City Association (CCA) of Los Angeles hosted the 28th annual Treasures of Los Angeles. ASU FIDM was one of the seven Legacy Visionaries honored at the event, which brought together the city’s elite business, elected and civic leaders.

For the occasion, ASU FIDM presented 12 outstanding designs by '24 BA in fashion design graduates: Madison Nelson and Gifty Ulinwa; the visionary "Fellini Collection" by faculty member Galina Mihaleva; and a trio of dazzling Catrina costumes by Lily Martinez, a toy/fashion/costume designer who graduated from legacy FIDM in 1998 and served as creative director for Barbie for many years before striking out on her own.

The informal modeling was organized by ASU FIDM Program Manager Remington Reble and Program Specialist Lauryn Wasill. Miguel Barragan, assistant director of student success and curriculum, represented ASU FIDM at the event, alongside Dulce Vasquez, assistant vice president of strategic advancement in ASU’s Office of University Affairs.

“For me, it’s a full-circle moment to have my Catrina costumes displayed at the LA Coliseum for the CCA event,” Martinez said. “Forty years prior, my family and I, a 7-year-old little girl, would visit the coliseum, and especially visited during the 1984 LA Summer Olympics. It’s truly an honor to be included in showcasing a diverse group of designers through ASU FIDM.” 

ASU FIDM alumna Gifty Ulinwa, who showed pieces from her final collection, “In Full Bloom,” said one of the things she loved most about the event was getting to be in the company of so many successful and accomplished people from all over California and beyond. 

“It was inspiring getting to stand in the same room as them, having just graduated from ASU FIDM,” Ulinwa said. “I remember voicing that thought to one of the LA city planners I met, and something he said to me was, ‘Well, you better get used to it!’ and it made me realize that there’s space for me to also be successful!”

ASU FIDM junior Maya Wilkinson, who dressed the models for the event, appreciated that she was able to both gain work experience and participate in the festivities. 

“I feel like, in classes, we get told a lot to network as much as possible, and yet networking is still such a foreign concept to undergraduate students,” Wilkinson said. The opportunity to attend an event like Treasures and see for herself how leaders network “was such a valuable experience that I will take with me forever.”