Fashion Design at The Dalí

This free program allows artistically inclined high school students from the Tampa Bay area to learn the fundamentals of design, construction and runway presentation from experienced artists and designers. Through nontraditional materials, students are invited to think creatively to produce wearable works of art that translate from sketch to runway.

Fashion Design at The Dalí 2025-26

This year, The Dalí Museum brings back a hallmark high school program, Fashion Design at The Dalí. As a reimagined student offering, the program will welcome 6 talented students with career ambitions related to fine art, costumery and fashion. The program will conclude with an exhibition of the students’ work.

This year’s theme, “Surreal Shapes and Structures,” invites students to appraise the many forms used in both Salvador Dalí’s paintings and Alberto Giacommeti’s sculptures. From gelatinous, flowing shapes to thin, rigid structures, students will select an inspiration object from The Dalí’s Permanent Collection or Alberto Giacometti & Salvador Dalí, this winter’s special exhibition at the Museum. Visitors will be able to see how students transform these objects into wearable art in a February exhibition.

Applications will be open until August 22 and acceptances will be announced no later than August 25. In addition to providing written recommendations, each applicant must provide images from their portfolio of fashion works and a writing sample. When applying, students must commit to monthly meetings and bi-weekly check-ins, in addition to potential extra meetings if necessary.

Each meeting will explore a different technique or foundation of clothing construction and design. Meetings will occur on Sunday mornings, beginning in September and concluding in January. Most meetings will occur at PCCA at Gibbs High School, with some taking place at the Museum.

Interested students can apply here.

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FAQs

How will I know if my application has been accepted?

Accepted students will be notified via email by August 25. Accepted students must confirm their spot in the program by replying to that email by end-of-day September 5. Students who have not confirmed their spot by September 5 will be removed from the program and their spot will be given to another student. Late acceptances will be announced September 10, if space becomes available.

Why are references required with my application and how do I get them?

References from a teacher, mentor, coach or other trusted adult are required with your application. A reference is like a recommendation for you to join the program; they help advocate for your level of responsibility and dedication for a rigorous program like this one.

To get a reference, ask an adult who has worked closely with you in the past to provide their email address and phone number. They should then email a letter of recommendation to sayad@thedali.org. Students whose references have sent a letter of recommendation will be given priority acceptance to the program. Parents are unable to serve as a reference unless a student is homeschooled. Trish Donnelly and Sumaya Ayad are also unable to serve as references for the program.

What happens at each session?

Accepted students will receive a schedule with an outline containing weekly focus topics and due dates. Some session topics include Draping and Patterns 101 and Runway Coaching. Most sessions are held from 10am-1pm on Sunday in the PCCA Costume Workshop with some taking place offsite at the Dalí Museum, Neiman Marcus and other stores and design centers.

Some sessions will include guest speakers from various areas and industries or begin with a formal class and end of worktime. Others have no class and are solely an open studio day. Each session varies and students should be prepared for a variety of structures.

Is attendance mandatory?

Yes—student designers are required to attend each session of the program.

How are prizes awarded?

As the program evolves and shifts to serve just 6 students, the awards process and number of prizes will also change. Students will be notified of these changes when they have been set.

About the Instructor:
Patricia (Trish) Donnelly, PCCA Design Technology, Costume Design

Trish Donnelly is the Department Chair of the Design Technology Theatre Department at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School. She serves as the costume and stage makeup designer and instructor for the program. In addition to her educational work, Trish designs for professional theater and private commissions. Her costume design work was most recently seen in the American Stage Theatre Company’s production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night and during the 2017 Gasparilla Pirate Festival.

Trish received her Associate of Arts from Florida State University and went on to receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. At Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN, she completed advanced classes in the study of Fiber Arts. Trish has also completed intensive classes in Stage, TV, Film and Historic Makeup Design at the London College of Fashion in London, England as the result of receiving a Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship.

Trish was awarded the Tampa Bay 2012 Jeff Norton Outstanding Costume Design for her Rocky Horror Show design for the American Stage Theatre Company. Trish also received the 2014 Florida Theatre Conference Award of Outstanding Contribution to Florida’s Theatre in High Schools.

Trish is has served as instructor for the program since its inception.

Thank you to our program sponsors: