Adriana Malik recently won a Gold Medal at the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, one of the most competitive art competitions for students in the country. This is a major achievement and reflects how impactful and well executed her work was compared to submissions from across the United States.

Adriana spent about two months working on her piece, developing her idea and carefully bringing every detail together. At the time, she was not originally planning to enter the competition and only decided to submit her work at the last minute. That makes the outcome even more impressive because it was not something she had been preparing for from the start.

Her design was inspired by John Galliano, whose work often challenges traditional ideas of beauty and fashion. That influence is clear in Adriana’s piece, especially in how the dress stands out from normal beauty standards. Instead of going for something simple or traditionally “pretty,” she created something more bold and expressive that immediately catches attention.

The dress itself is very striking. The top part has a triangular structure with sharp, edgy ends, which gives it a strong and almost architectural look. It feels unconventional in a way that makes it memorable and different from typical designs you would expect.

The photography by Jayda Wand ’26 and Grace Chen ’26 also played a big role in the final result. They chose to shoot the piece in black and white, which helped neutralize the intensity of the dress. The photo is not overly harsh or high contrast, which allows the viewer to focus on the form and shape of the design without it feeling overwhelming. It creates a balance between boldness and subtlety.

Jane Martone ’28, who modeled the dress, really brought the entire piece to life. The way she wore it added confidence and attitude that matched the design. Her bold eye makeup especially stood out and complemented the edgy structure of the dress, making the overall look feel complete and intentional.