GRADUATE COLLECTION 2026
Looking into the in-between space I often inhabit, I aim to capture the delicate fragments of dreams and explore the wildest corners of my imagination in a beautiful and tangible way. My work exists in the liminal space where reality begins to dissolve, impossibilities become possible, and the familiar transforms into the extraordinary.
I never understood that anything was impossible. For me, my dreams did not end when I opened my eyes—they continued to shape the way I experienced the world. As these visions take physical form, my characters emerge, populating the worlds I create and inviting others to step into them.
Embracing the confusing, and at times devastating, feeling of existing outside reality or of being "too much" for conventional spaces. My work intentionally refuses to conform. My garments occupy entire rooms, resist fitting through doorways, and demand accommodation despite their inconvenience. They reflect my belief that when the world does not feel built for you, you have the power to build one of your own. From feelings of isolation, extraordinary beauty can emerge. While my garments appear romantic and ethereal, they also transform the wearer, instilling a sense of power, confidence, and courage that cannot be fully put into words. There is strength in beauty.
Through my work, I attempt to make the unseen visible, give form to the intangible, and nurture belief in the imaginary. Fairy tales have always been a constant source of inspiration. To me, they were never simply stories—they were possibilities. I hope to encourage others to listen to the ridiculous, embrace the impossible, and follow the quiet pull in their hearts that urges them to play, imagine, and wonder.
Our dreams whisper truths that often remain hidden in waking life. Through our subconscious, we reveal who we are, holding a mirror to the deepest corners of our minds. Perhaps our fantasies are not an escape from reality at all, but another way of understanding it. In many ways, they are closer to reality than we think.
WONDERLAND
THE FILM
my debut fashion film,
WONDERLAND
My film follows Rose as she awakens inside a glass coffin, dressed in her nightgown with her long hair wrapped around her body like an accessory. Deeply inspired by fantasy and fairytales, my collection embraces their sense of wonder, beauty, whimsy, and escapism.
The result is WONDERLAND, my BFA collection and my own personal dream world where fantasy and reality intertwine.
As Rose journeys through Wonderland, she is prepped and primped by two enchanted butlers before attending a magical dinner, where she encounters the extraordinary characters that inhabit this imagined world. Rather than fearing the strange, she embraces the unusual, the uncanny, and the unknown, discovering a place where she truly belongs.
My film encapsulates the essence of the collection while reflecting emotions I have experienced throughout my life: feeling misunderstood, out of place, and searching for acceptance. Each garment is romantic, ethereal, and beautiful, yet beneath the surface lies a quiet sense of oddness. The characters exist between fantasy and reality, unable to fully conform to either, demanding to be seen rather than hidden.
WONDERLAND is a tribute to pure imagination and to the belief that there is beauty, strength, and belonging in seeing the world differently.
THE BUTLERS
Styled by Sophia Roth
Photos by
Kate Youman.
HIGH TEA IN WONDERLAND & DISHES TO MATCH THE LOOKS
LOOK 1, VANILLA ROSÈ POUND CAKE
LOOK 3, TWO BLACKBERRY TARTS
LOOK 1, CHOCOLATE PISTACHIO CAKE
LOOK 2, CHAMPANGE FROSTED BURBON CAKE
LOOK 5, LEMON BERRY TART
LIVE FASHION SKETCHING
By Grace Horner
Process Book
Process Book
face ideation for sketches
Jury Weekend & The Fashion Show
Every Aspect is Curated
Jury and the 2026 Fashion Show were incredible opportunities to present my designs to my community and the public while receiving valuable feedback on my work.
The experience allowed me to hear a wide range of perspectives.
Every suggestion, critique, and word of encouragement helped strengthen both my collection and my growth as a designer. Sharing my work in this setting reinforced the importance of craftsmanship, storytelling, and remaining open to constructive feedback throughout the creative process.
Finding Wonderland: The World-Building Mind of Zoya Polivchak
Article coverage on Wonderland written by Jade Pettyjohn
“The result became a collection that treats imagination not as escapism, but as transformation. That perspective mirrors the way Polivchak approaches design itself. Garments rarely come first. Instead, she begins by constructing entire worlds. Characters, environments, music, atmosphere, even the imagined personalities of the people wearing the clothes emerge before a single silhouette is finalized.”
“…Zoya Polivchak conjured a unicorn in her Wonderland collection…”
- Laird Borrelli-Persson, for Vogue