Darlene C. Ritz
Designer, instructor, and chair of the fashion department at RMCAD
How do you define fashion?
I define fashion with the technical definition: “a taste shared by many for a period of time” Eubank, Phyllis G. Tortora & K. Survey of Historic Costume, 5th Edition. Fairchild Books USA, 6/2009. VitalBook file.
This may refer to clothing, art, food, interior design, literature, etc. A fashion is anything that is accepted by a group of people for a period of time.
I use the term “style” in the way that most people use the term fashion. Style is the way a person expresses themselves visually.
How long have you be designing your collection and where can we find them?
I’ve been designing as long as I can remember. My industry experience was mostly in private label for large retailers.
For over a decade, my focus in the industry has been in fashion education and in developing the next generation of fashion industry professionals. I do not currently sell my designs, though I have been active for the past year in using my designs to promote Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) and the relatively new fashion design … Read more!
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How long have you be designing your collection and where can we find them?
What do you want your fashion to personally express to the world when worn?
1) What is your earliest memory of loving fashion and how did you express yourself as a child with your own fashion?
2) In 3 words, describe your aesthetic with your designs.

When people wear my designs and my brand, I want it to be an expression of them. While I do express certain things when making my designs, ultimately people wear them differently and express them differently.
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How do you define fashion?