Ariel Weinberg

American Mermaid

This collection is born from an enduring friendship and the transformative journey of Ariah—a woman whose transition shaped both our lives and this body of work. It is a celebration of trans identity, feminine resilience, and the quiet strength found in love, fragility, and self-acceptance. Inspired by icons like Monica Bellucci’s Sabrett—women who command power through vulnerability and glamor—we explore what it means to be seen, desired, and respected on one’s own terms. These garments speak not only to aesthetics, but to survival and affirmation.

For trans women, fashion often serves as both shield and sword—a vital tool of resistance and reclamation. Confidence, frequently praised, is not innate but forged through necessity. In a world that constantly questions their worth, fashion becomes a language of survival. This collection channels reality, every seam, silhouette, and surface carries a piece of our story.

Technically, we combined craft with digital innovation. We laser-cut fish motifs from deadstock suede, embellished them with Swarovski crystals, and painted a sunflower print and digitally printed it to linen bonded with felted wool suiting. We scanned flower petals and printed them onto satin, and created a gown with encased chainmail within layers of satin and organza, symbolizing both armor and entrapment. All materials were thrifted, upcycled, or donated, aligning with our commitment to regenerative and zero-waste design.

In alignment with Parsons’ values of equity, decolonization, and belonging, this collection strives to expand fashion’s gaze—to make space for trans narratives not as tokenism, but as foundational and beautiful. It is a wardrobe for those who live boldly, love deeply, and survive with style.