Asheville native and fashion designer Cadence Blake has earned recognition by Vogue magazine after the debut of his senior collection during SCAD Fashion 2025, the Savannah College of Art and Design’s (SCAD’s) signature showcase of collections by senior and graduate students attending the SCAD School of Fashion. The story featuring designs by Blake ran on Vogue.com under the section Vogue Runway in May.
Cadence Blake, artist
Blake finds the experience humbling. “I’ve always seen fashion as a slow game—you’re supposed to keep your head down, work hard and, maybe, if you’re lucky, receive recognition later on,” he says. “To have a moment like this early in my career feels surreal.” And, he adds, a source of motivation. “Now, more than ever, I feel inspired to keep creating. I know I still have a lot to learn and to contribute to the industry, and I’m eager to continue growing.”
He credits his childhood in Asheville, surrounded by creatives including his musician parents, with his own current path. “Asheville taught me the value of self-expression,” he says. “It’s where I first understood how clothes can shape identity—or challenge it—and I’ve been fascinated by that idea ever since. Without a doubt, the city played a role in pushing me toward fashion design, and I still feel its influence today.”
He did not find his way to fashion right away, however. Turning away from creativity as an act of rebellion, he sought a more traditional career path. “It wasn’t until after my first year in college, majoring in computer science, that I realized something was missing,” he says. “I needed a creative outlet. That’s when I started playing music again and tapped into my creativity where I rediscovered my love for fashion.”
Cadence Blake, artist
He attended a smaller fashion school first before transferring to SCAD where, he says, he found resources, mentors and opportunities. “The university has a contagious atmosphere that sparks creativity amongst its student body,” Blake says. “I found my professors to be not only incredible teachers but mentors as well. They pushed me and challenged me without judgment, which proved to be positive for me as an artist.”
From here, Blake intends to continue his education abroad. “This will expose me to new communities and give me the space to develop a collection I’ve been working on,” he says. “I see this as just the beginning of my journey as a designer. Ultimately, I want to open a runway–focused fashion school—one that offers free monthly design classes where people can explore ideas and learn how to make clothes.”
Along with four other designers, Blake recently participated in his first public fashion show. “It took place in Atlanta’s busiest MARTA subway station,” he says. “It was a huge risk to stage such a guerrilla-style show, but it turned out to be a massive success. The response from the Atlanta community has been incredible.” Blake’s collection for this show appears under the name C. Vereen.
“I see myself as a storyteller who writes with a needle and thread,” Blake says. “I’ve never read a compelling story without people in it, so they are at the heart of my process. I also have a soft spot for stories that are hard to tell—topics that might be heavy or uncomfortable. I think that’s one of art’s superpowers: it can take something difficult and make it digestible, even beautiful, if you let it.”
To see the public fashion show featuring Blake’s work, visit mrwshow.com. View SCAD Fashion 2025 at scad.edu/fashion-show-2025.
