Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Design by Chanjuan Chen as sewn and reimagined by Le Bloom Dallas in fresh flowers.

Designers from Le Bloom Dallas installed the floral interpretation of “Transformative Bloom” on site, translating Chen’s sculptural garment into a living, ephemeral medium.

CVAD Faculty Design Transforms into Floral Art in Dallas Exhibition

Chanjuan is facing forward and smiling. She has long dark hair and wears a red top.

Chanjuan Chen, Ph.D., associate professor, Fashion Design

A sculptural fashion design by UNT College of Visual Arts and Design faculty member Chanjuan Chen, Ph.D., is blooming in an entirely new form — reimagined in fresh flowers — as part of “Fleurs de Villes: MUSE” at NorthPark Center in Dallas.

The large-scale exhibition, open to the public March 25–29, 2026, celebrates the spark behind every masterpiece through a curated collection of one-of-a-kind floral mannequins. Created by North Texas florists in collaboration with leading arts and cultural institutions, the installation transforms influential works of art and design into immersive floral interpretations.

Chen, associate professor of Fashion Design, is featured through a floral homage inspired by her garment “Transformative Bloom,” an award-winning work exploring modular design through repeating, petal-like forms. Her concept centers on the idea that small elements — whether petals, people or ideas — can connect to create something dynamic and ever-changing, mirroring the creative process itself.

For “MUSE,” the Dallas-based floral studio Le Bloom Dallas reimagined “Transformative Bloom” as a full-scale floral installation. Through layered florals that expand outward, the piece reflects Chen’s modular approach, demonstrating how individual components come together to form a vibrant whole. The installation is on view in NorthPark Center’s North Court on Level One, near Nordstrom, as installation No. 15 through March 29.

Designers from Le Bloom Dallas and owner Layne Tenenbaum installed the floral interpretation on site, translating Chen’s sculptural garment into a living, ephemeral medium. Watch the building process of adding flowers to the mannequin on YouTube.

Presented in partnership with UNT CVAD and Le Bloom Dallas, the work highlights the intersection of fashion innovation and material transformation — a defining aspect of the college’s approach to design education.

“Seeing design ideas move across materials — from textiles to living forms — reflects the kind of creative exploration students experience at CVAD,” Chen said.

The project also reflects the broader impact of CVAD as one of the nation’s most comprehensive public arts colleges. Through programs like the Michael W. Faircloth Fashion Design Program, students develop the technical skills, innovation and creative thinking needed to shape the future of fashion and design in North Texas and beyond.

Meet Dr. Chen and the Floral Artists: March 28, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Level One from SouthCourt — between Neiman Marcus and Dillard’s to Nordstrom Court. Interact with the talented floral teams behind Fleurs de Villes' "MUSE" to learn more about their creative processes and the cultural inspiration of each design.

Special programming: The "MUSE" exhibition includes performances from participating organizations scheduled from 1–3 p.m. on March 28 in NorthPark Center’s North Court on Level One, including The Dallas Opera, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Broadway Dallas.

In addition to CVAD, participating arts partners include the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Kimbell Art Museum, Meadows Museum, Nasher Sculpture Center, Crow Museum of Asian Art and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

For more information about the exhibition, visit the Fleurs de Villes website.

Fleurs de Villes is the world's only global flower show brand, popping up in cities around the world, connecting communities through floral storytelling and showcasing local floral artistry. Learn more about it from the "Flowers Make Us Happy" video on YouTube.

CVAD Faculty Design Transforms into Floral Art in Dallas Exhibition

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