Fashion Fictions was first sparked by Stephanie’s interest in the extraordinary range of disciplines and approaches that fall under the label of “fashion.” Traditional categories such as sneakers and suits are part of it, as is haute couture. Meanwhile, Stephanie notes that crossovers between experimental fashion design and other disciplines happen regularly. Designers often collaborate on research with people in the sciences and bring engineering and technology into the mix. Fashion includes research-based and purely artistic practices, where garments are not commercially available. Sometimes, a single designer will work in all these areas simultaneously.

“I wanted to focus the exhibition on those sorts of experiments that I see happening,” Stephanie says.

This broad scope gave Cheryl a first-hand look at how curation and design intersect. The works selected for any exhibition are crucial for driving public interest and sparking discussion. An exhibition’s design also plays a massive part in how people respond. And that work is not always visible.

“It put me into an unfamiliar space — one that I’m now beginning to be more interested in,” Cheryl says of the apprenticeship. “That helped me navigate through questions about what kind of practice I want when I graduate.”

A curator must often be a “jack-of-all-trades,” Stephanie adds, using skills ranging from scholarly to practical. Cheryl worked across disciplines during her apprenticeship, even re-designing a word mark at one point.

“She did a beautiful job. I really liked being able to draw on all of Cheryl’s different skillsets,” Stephanie says. “It was a great opportunity for her to pull from those different areas that may, in school, feel very separate, but in practice are very much not.”