Not able to make a trip to New York this past week to see the latest fashions? Then it’s a good thing that the ISU Textiles and Clothing Fashion Show is available for students to get a taste of the newest trends.

In its 26th year, the fashion show features industry-quality clothing designed and sewn by students. The actual show is student-produced and promoted as well. While the majority of students who enter their designs are textile and clothing majors, almost any student or group of students are able to enter their designs.

One example of such a group is Diversify Clothing, a clothing line created by Rod Rivera, Seth Inyang and Andy Gionnette. What makes Diversify Clothing’s creators so different from other beginning designers? All three men are seniors in mechanical engineering, not textiles and clothing.

“It was a [decision] between a TC major and engineering,” Inyang said. “I thought, why not try this?”

The men began Diversify Clothing last spring when they made their first pair of jeans and decided to enter the fashion show.

“Seth came to me and said, ‘The fashion show is coming up. Want to make a pair of jeans?'” Rivera said.

Rivera, the artist in the group, drew and designed the jeans, while the other two sewed them together. They also had help from Maranda Nichols, a graduate of the textiles and clothing program, who acted as a mentor to the group.

“She gave us an insight, showed us the ropes,” Inyang said.

In last year’s fashion show, the men entered their clothing under the category, “Urban Design” and won second place.

Diversify Clothing was created by Inyang as a way to express the multi-culture group and the different places from which they came. The name also suggests that although the group and clothes have different styles, “we all compliment each other,” Rivera said.

The group has discovered that the process of designing a clothing line can be time-consuming and tedious. It begins with the group getting together to come up with a design theme. Rivera then sketches out the ideas and graphics freehand, puts them into Photo Shop to refine them and then adds color.

Once the graphics are completed assembly can begin. For the custom jeans Diversify Clothing makes, everything is constructed in the men’s apartment. This includes making patterns, fitting the muslin on the models and sewing the jeans. Diversify Clothing also uses hand-stitching and inner linings on their jeans to make them unique.

“Our work is 100 percent ours,” Inyang said.

Because Diversify Clothing uses so many hand techniques and interesting details, the group recently decided to add another member to their team. Andi Vance, junior in apparel merchandising, design and production, will assist Diversify Clothing in the construction and production of the new line.

Diversify Clothing features lines for both college-age men and women; eventually, they hope to branch out into middle twenties and even thirties.

Inspiration for the lines often comes from a mix of sources, such as premium denim currently on the market, urban ideas and comic books.

“We’re always looking to do something different than everyone else,” Rivera said.

Inyang agreed. “We look at what sells to see what we can do to make it different, to make it better.”

The women’s line for this spring and the fashion show is called “Smitten Kitten.” The entire collection, which includes custom denim and T-shirts, features feline elements.

“Girls like to be fierce and sweet,” Inyang said. “The jeans vary in style from sweet to medium to fierce.”

The men’s collection, mainly composed of their custom denim, focuses on opposite sides of the color wheel, like black and white or blue and orange.

Since all the collections are completely done by Diversify Clothing, one of the biggest complications the men face is funding. Right now, the group mainly pays for their materials out of pocket. While they do have some connections in the Los Angeles fabric industry, Diversify Clothing still has to pay for the textiles.

The group has also faced people who believe mechanical engineers are not capable or should not be able to compete in such an important fashion event at Iowa State. However, Diversify Clothing is not affected negatively by these comments.

“We’re willing to accept other people and the challenge they give us,” Rivera said. “[The clothes] are our original designs and our own work.”

Because the group does all of their own production and selling, making Diversify Clothing a full-time business is hard. Currently, they make custom-order T-shirts after the client has provided the T-shirt; the men also wear their designs.

The future for Diversify Clothing seems to be bright. After graduating, the group still plans to run the business, even with full-time engineering jobs.

“I want to do both,” Inyang said.

Rivera agreed. “We’re starting to get recognized. It would be good to keep up [Diversify Clothing] even with a full-time job.”

Diversify Clothing has its own Facebook group, located under “Diversify Clothing.” The group is open to anyone and features T-shirt designs from this year’s collections, as well as other custom-made T-shirts.

Diversify Clothing will also be featured at the Textiles and Clothing Fashion Show, which will be held in Stephens Auditorium on April 25th.

Tickets are available at the Stephens Auditorium box office or through www.ticketmaster.com.