Designer’s statement: My inspiration for "In Control" was to create a garment that makes the wearer feel powerful and in control of her life. I choose a red velvet fabric, because of its sophisticated yet powerful aesthetic. Heart disease takes time to show symptoms. It is important that when you experience heart disease symptoms, you should go see a doctor. Moreover, these heart disease symptoms may be small and not noticeable. This is a message that I hope to convey in my design. I incorporated the hourglass shape onto the bodice of my dress, making it the a focus point in the front. It is a reminder to all that taking care of yourself and your well-being are important. All women who are fighting or who have fought against heart disease are heroes. I want to remind them of their courage and bravery. I added the cape for my dress to convey that message. This cape has a slit in the middle, which can represent wings that symbolize freedom. I want to give that freedom to whoever wears my dress. The sleeves can be worn three different ways: over the arms, under the arms or pulled over the shoulders. These choices give the wearer control to wear the dress as she wants, and the freedom to play around it. This dress should help the wearer feel powerful, in control of her health and free to live how she wants.

Designer’s statement: Fashion design is the creation of beautiful garments, and plays a role in making profound statements. The red dress project seeks to add more meaning and significance to heart disease. The heart is a necessary organ that pumps life into the body, and it can be the sole reason for the malfunction of all things within us. My dress signifies promise and new beginnings, which is why I placed two roses on the chest, one on each side of the heart to protect it and remind us that hope must be kept alive. My dress embodies the optimism and faith we must carry in order to fight through heart difficulties. Conversely, the color red signifies strength, power and determination, which is what all people must possess to endure through this life.

Designer’s statement: My inspiration for this dress was the heart and blood flow. The frill emphasizes and frames the heart shape of the bodice, and the crinkled organza provides texture that represents veins and arteries that help the heart carry blood throughout the body. The pleats alternate between solid red fabric and crinkled organza to represent paths of blood flow. The capelet was added to provide extra flowing movement. While visually representing the heart, my design also reflects giving in to a heart’s spontaneous desires rather than being overly cautious. Life should flow like the blood in your body, with what’s in your heart as a natural guide. I followed my own heart’s impulse on this design to see what would emerge instead of using my usual method of planning thoroughly before creating the design.

Designer’s statement: My dress is inspired by the heart system and how it simultaneously takes in oxygen-poor blood and pumps out oxygen-rich blood. Its title, “Respire,” has two meanings: to take in and release blood for the purpose of maintaining life (just like the human heart), and to breathe freely again after anxiety or suffering. Both are physical and emotional goals for women suffering from heart disease. The inward-outward shapes of the sleeves and reversed bodice cowls convey the in-and-out movement of blood. The darker red components symbolize oxygen-poor blood, while the transition to a brighter red conveys oxygen-rich blood. This take-in, put-out duality is a metaphor for how women with heart disease suffer but also continuously fight to be strong, positive and happy.

Designer’s statement: Red poppies and spider lilies are the inspirations for “Solo.” Although flowers are associated with death and loneliness in certain cultures and legends, their beauty and stories express a sense of energy, strength and courage. Instead of focusing on the physical suffering of heart disease patients, “Solo” is meant to illustrate the inner feelings of particular patients. These patients may have experienced social isolation, because they sometimes cannot enjoy simple tasks such as jumping, running, or even laughing with friends and family. Such misfortune can breed the desire for liberation from physical barriers. “Solo” is designed to be suitable for ballroom dances. It can be an instrument for a taste of freedom and happiness through swirling the layers of organza and strands of bells.

Designer’s statement: This dress combines different fabrics in an arrangement of structures with different textures and looks. The various materials and saturations are mixed for a perfect balance of layers and flowing effects. Combining thin and thick fabrics sets off the overall silhouette. The dress builds a communicative system to mimic arteries, veins and blood of the heart, showing the beautiful intention of a woman's healthy heart beating.

Designer’s statement: “Vintage Red” is an elegant gown inspired by glamorous dresses of the ’50s. The intention of the gown is to spark conversations about women’s heart disease. To achieve this goal, the gown must be attention grabbing, so its main features consist of a two-foot train and extensive gathers. Once the audience is captivated by the main characteristics, then the meaning of them can be explained. They represent the trials that women with heart disease face. Both the gathers and the train are placed on the back of the dress, signifying that their heavy troubles can be left in the past. It shows how heart disease doesn't have to be a burden forever, because it is preventable and may be treatable. The neckline resembles the shape of a heart. The front of the dress is simple and lightweight, which symbolizes new beginnings for women with heart disease. Overall, with its alluring design, the dress provides a platform to educate the audience about heart disease.

Designer’s statement: “Reflection” is a simple and elegant dress created to raise awareness about women’s heart disease. The dress contains elements that reflect the physical aspects of a heart, such as blood flow and heart rate, but also addresses emotions.  The front flow of the dress represents freedom, while the back train represents the idea of women affected by heart disease. As an optimistic element, I embedded mirror rhinestones. Even though they are small, they leave a big impression. Similarly, mirrors reflect the identities of women beyond their health conditions. Through the color spectrum of red, I have depicted the various colors of blood.

Designer’s statement: My inspiration of this dress, called “Le Jardin Printanier,” comes from the art of a spring garden. The front and back upper bodice in the shape of a heart remind us of the important role of our hearts in our lives. We cannot live without hearts and, similarly, the dress is not functional without the upper bodice. The multi-layered design signifies the layered tissues that provide protection to our hearts, and the blooming flower decorations on the top layers suggest the hope of life. This dress is designed to raise awareness of heart health. Just as gardeners take care of the flowers or the hearts of gardens, we should take care of our hearts to live our lives fabulously.

Designer’s statement: “Cinnabar” is a Chinese name that means special red color. It is based on the traditional Chinese cheongsam dress, but adapted in a modern way. The side of the dress can be opened from the bottom to the top with a zipper that can be locked at different height levels for movement during dance or sports. The back is inspired by a ballet dance dress. It is a little bit sexy with the hollowed-out design, with the opposite traditional design in the front. Different fabrics and decorations used in this dress reflect the composition of human heart. Each part has its own functions, keeping it complete and protected. Moreover, in China dancing has been developed into a sport that can keep the heart healthy. This is also the inspiration for the design. As a designer, I greatly want to fuse elements from modern society with my own culture and background. I also expect to connect western and eastern cultures. They are reflected in the opposite sides of my dress. They have their own characters, but also work together. For me, they are just like the left and right ventricles of the heart — working together and creating life.

Designer’s statement: My design was inspired by the betta fish, also called Siamese­­­­ fighting fish. I took the first two letters of “betta” — “be” — to name this dress. The silk chiffon shoulder bands mimic the fish fins. The double-color layers of godets mimic the shape and color of the fish tails. The chiffon godets change to different tones of red colors under different lights. This expresses the feeling of the fish scales and shows the beauty and confidence of females. This dress is designed for all women. I hope women suffering from heart disease can bravely and continuously fight against their difficulties, just like a betta fish. Also, medical workers need to keep fighting to find better solutions for heart diseases to save more lives. Betta fishes are small, but fearless. They look soft, but are actually powerful. Same as women.

Designer’s statement: Creating a dress to make a statement, especially for the honorable Women’s Heart Care Forum, is a wonderful chance to explore one’s creativity for a cause. This particular “dress” was made in an androgynous two-piece form to combat the perceived notion that red dresses are solely for women. Heart disease may be the leading threat to women’s health, however men should be encouraged to support their female peers and community in fighting a condition that universally plagues all genders. “Red Cliff” reflects the layered tiers of the dress-pants as they create a cliff-like appearance. More importantly, it references a historic battle that took place in Three Kingdoms China, a determining fight between legendary power figures that shaped the course of Chinese history. Like the Battle of the Red Cliff, I envision a transcending crusade against heart disease and reshaping the chronicles of women’s health. The folded layering of origami and the structure of kimonos are my main inspirations. I reversed the top kimono with the idea of reversing heart disease. The origami folds on the top are an abstract interpretation of the heart. Each emerging layer is a lighter and brighter color, symbolizing hope and light at the end of the tunnel. The layered panels on the dress-pants illustrate the complexity of the fight against heart disease.