91PORNA

Lauren grew up in rural Ohio and attended 91PORNA, graduating in 2006 with a BA in fashion design. Her undergraduate work at the School of Fashion focused on fashion design studio classes. Lauren has been honored to receive the Outstanding Senior Student, Shannon Rodgers Scholarships, and was awarded Designer of the Year in 2006 for her senior thesis collection by a panel of industry critics. She has lived in New York City since her graduation working for fashion companies including DKNY, Anna Sui, Kate Spade, and other major fashion brands. For six years, Lauren collaborated directly with Ms. Sui to design and present twelve runway collections shown at New York Fashion Week. 

She attended SUNY New Paltz from Fall 2020 to Spring 2022 while working full-time, and received a BA in Art History then entered the MA program at Hunter College in the Fall of 2022 and will be graduating this May 2026. Lauren's thesis research combines her design background with the study of ancient Greek and Roman art, examining the drapery of Classical Greek and Roman sculpture. 

I discovered design in my teenage years after dabbling in the arts my entire youth.  With this, I joined KSU in the Fall of 2008 to obtain a BS in Fashion Design.  Attending Kent, I consecutively participated in the Florence study abroad and NYC study away programs, both pivotal experiences.  By my New York semester’s conclusion, I couldn’t envision myself anywhere else and quickly returned after graduation.

I can’t impress enough how critical it is to uniquely brand yourself for your work ethic and professionalism in our industry.  Our arena is compact, in menswear especially, and it’s likely you will cross paths with colleagues in the future.  Leave the right impression. Let that impression serve you well.  Both times I transitioned companies, my network and my brand helped secure new opportunities and fostered my continued growth.  

After stints at larger companies in my early career, I landed at a then, smaller developing company called UNTUCKit.  While interviewed I was advised I’d need an “entrepreneurial” mindset to flourish there.  They were growing very rapidly and everyone was rolling up their sleeves in a collective commitment to seeing the brand excel.  As the company’s first full time design hire, I’ve since played a key role in building all the apparel and non-apparel categories, helped establish the early women’s line, created boys product for the brand, partnered with and designed for the NFL, MLB and NCAA major sport organizations, incubated and provided support to now major adjacent fashion brands, and developed special capsules for brand ambassadors and other collaborators.  

Most recently I joined the team at Dickie’s & Lee and I can’t wait to begin working for such iconic workwear and denim Americana powerhouses.  I’m excited to return to KSU and I look forward to lending my industry experience to students submitting work toward the April 2026 show.

Joslyn Allen Fecik is a designer who has been living and working in New York City for over a decade, helping to build multiple contemporary womenswear brands. She started her career within the Resortwear market and has spent the past 3.5 years building all categories at Hill House Home, a cult favorite brand well known for the Nap Dress. Joslyn is currently a design consultant working with small brands and helping to expand their womenswear business. 

Madison Cline is a strategic sustainability leader and circular designer with over a decade of experience driving innovation across the global fashion and textile industries. As Director of Design & Sustainability at National Safety Apparel, she leads cross-functional teams in reimagining how design, development, and responsible manufacturing intersect from fit standards to bridging creativity with data driven strategy to deliver measurable business impact.

With a career spanning Coachtopia by Coach, Ralph Lauren, and Fashion Revolution USA, Madison has become a trusted voice at the intersection of design, policy, and climate action. Her breadth of design experience includes leading collections across gender neutral apparel, women’s wear, children’s denim, men’s industrial workwear, and socks and hosiery, showcasing her ability to blend storytelling, function, and sustainability across diverse markets and materials.

Recognized for her empathetic leadership and ability to inspire collective action, Madison is passionate about transforming legacy systems into resilient, future-facing models. Her work has been featured in Sustainable Fashion Week, CUNY’s Sustainability Matters, and the Fashion & The Free podcast.

Madison believes design is not only a form of expression, but a system capable of shaping culture, community, and climate solutions. Rooted in empathy, resilience, and innovation, she is committed to empowering the next generation of designers to build a more beautiful, responsible, and circular future for fashion.