August 10, 2017

Lela Thompson, a 2017 Westphal fashion design alumna, will represent Westphal as one of the coveted and highly selective participants during the tenth annual 2017 SUPIMA design competition. The competition is set for September 7th at Pier 59 Studios located in the Chelsea district of New York City, home to New York Fashion Week and whose clients include Vogue, Elle , Cosmopolitan, TeenVogue, Nike, Harpers Bazar, Adidas, and Google, to name just a few. Thompson's work was recently spotlighted in a Women's Wear Daily special feature detailing her work and the innovative interdisciplinary opportunities available as a student in our Fashion program.

Since 2008, the decade-standing SUPIMA Design Competition has introduced the next generation of designers to the fashion industry. Elite design schools from across the nation nominate one graduating senior to represent their respective school as a finalist to compete for a $10,000 cash prize and exposure to fashion press, social media influencers, and fashion industry executives. Finalists are challenged to create a womenswear capsule collection using premium SUPIMA cotton fabrics. Working with a prominent fashion designer as mentor, students have the opportunity to learn what design elements translate to the runway and what will resonate with the judges. A prestigious panel of judges from the fashion and media world is charged with selecting a winner.

SUPIMA's list of school partners has included Academy of Arts University, FIDM, FIT, Kent State University, Parsons School of Design, Pratt BF+DA, Rhode Island School of Design, and Savannah College of Art and Design. To learn more about the fashion design program at Drexel, click here.