Fashion Fusion X: Inspired by Frida Kahlo

Fashion Fusion X opens at the Houston Public Library on Monday, October 5, and runs through Wednesday, October 14. It's the tenth anniversary of the annual competition and runway show presented by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) and the fashion design program at Houston City College (HCC). The winning designs from the competition are what go on tour, and this year they're on display at the Jesse H. Jones Central Library, 500 McKinney St, in the first-floor gallery of the Staff area.

This edition took its inspiration from the MFAH exhibition Frida: The Making of an Icon, which looked at the life and legacy of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Students and alumni entered original outfits into one of four competition categories: Regenerate, Reimagine, Reengineer, or Reveal. The show that follows is a tour of the winning pieces from those categories, so you're seeing the work that came out on top.

Behind the scenes, the HCC program trains students in design, construction, textiles, and patternmaking, with a focus on process, precision, and problem-solving. That's the kind of work that goes into these outfits before they ever hit a runway. If you've followed the competition in previous years, you'll recognize the format: a mix of current students and alumni competing side by side, with the winners' work moving from the runway to a public display like this one.

It's a free event, and the gallery is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM through October 14. You'll find it at the Jesse H. Jones Central Library, 500 McKinney St, in the first-floor gallery of the Staff area.