*Swimming Duck is the 3rd season of Chris Robles' Qualia fashion line. Program helped with production.
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Abstract of this collection:
It’s been a few years since my last show, and this collection serves as a reflection of where I am in my life and how I see the fashion landscape shifting in real time. From a business standpoint, I wanted to build a sustainable model rooted in regeneration and upcycling approaches that feels not just innovative, but inevitable.
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This collection focuses on everyday wear designed for the city commuter: skirts, tops, aprons, and dresses created for the modern woman. In 2025, women are everything: they are creatives, entrepreneurs, influencers, and still find the space to nurture, cook, and care.
We intentionally left our pieces as “blanks,” inviting each wearer to infuse her own personality into the design. It’s fashion as a framework for individuality—an evolving collaboration between designer and wearer.
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-Christopher Robles
Concept of title and meaning of the show:
the swimming duck was pulled from the concept of staying afloat but struggling to stay afloat, everyone on social media garners our attention for anything we do watching our stories and liking our post. With the collection and the runway we wanted a venue to represent a pond or lake and the models and pieces were the ducks we were watching them but they were watching us pulling their phones that creates that anxiety effect. I myself had panic attacks about if this show was gonna be manifested, luckily for myself the team pulled it off.
Goals:
To keep creating and deepening our network and roots within a community we are building in Chicago and our artistry.
Team:
Christopher Robles: (design director, artist, Ddsigner)
Nia Weems: (event producer, planner)
Cam Gasser: (production and stage design)
Arthur: (master seamster)
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Models :
Gracie
Tehya
Oliva pango
Ivy
Samitha
Stephenya
Lyndn
Maddison greggerson