Next Gen / No Kill: Griselda Pena on Weaving Hybrid Identity through Textiles and Technique

Q+A with Griselda Pena
Pratt Institute BFA 2025

Interfusion

At No Kill Magazine, we’re after what might change the game — not just what’s next. Some of the sharpest ideas are coming from designers rewriting fashion’s rules.
In Next Gen / No Kill, we spotlight standout fashion graduates whose work opens up new conversations and possibilities. From New York’s top programs and beyond, these are the designers shaping a future of fashion defined by intelligence, creativity, and intention.

What was your inspiration?
Interfusion draws inspiration from my personal experience of navigating between two cultures. Existing in this in-between space where adaptation, blending, and self-redefinition are contents shapes my identity and design approach. Interfusion gives form through textiles to parts of myself that are often unseen, using material as a medium for self-exploration and storytelling.

What’s one material or technique you’re currently obsessed with?
I’m currently obsessed with combining fabrics through felting, a technique I began exploring during my junior year. I use both needle felting and wet felting. Needle felting allows me to sculpt dry silk fibers by repeatedly poking them with a barbed needle, while wet felting uses water, soap, and friction to permanently bond fibers to a base fabric. The process transforms the material, letting me create textures like ruffles and pleats without relying on a sewing machine.

I’ve always been passionate about natural dye. One of the primary dyes I use comes from black walnuts, which are rich in tannins and produce deep, earthy tones. I also work with marigold flowers grown in the Pratt Dye Garden, which yield a vibrant golden yellow color. I love how these processes allow me to create layered surfaces with both color and form emerging from natural materials.

What does fashion mean to you today?
Fashion, for me, is a way to explore and express my creative side. It gives me a space to bring ideas to life in a personal and meaningful way. For me, it’s about more than just fitting in, it’s about being seen and valued even when things aren’t perfect. Life has its ups and downs, and fashion reflects that. It shows that imperfection can be just as powerful and beautiful as anything else.

What’s one thing you wish the fashion industry would leave behind—and one thing it should embrace?
I wish the fashion industry would leave behind its culture of waste. There are too many materials that go unused. I think the industry should embrace sustainability and traceability.

We must prioritize reusing materials, supporting local makers, and informing people about where their clothing comes from and how it’s made, so we as customers can make more thoughtful, responsible choices.

Who or what has shaped your design values most?
My design values are deeply shaped by my experience as a Mexican American with Western roots. Growing up and living in the U.S. has influenced both my personal life and my creative work. I often find myself moving between two cultures, and this experience has taught me the importance of blending, adapting, and finding balance. In my work, I use materials to explore and express this in-between space where different parts of my identity come together.

Each fabric, fiber, and technique I use carries meaning. My work becomes a way to honor where I come from while also exploring who I am becoming. My design values are not just about how something looks, but about how it holds meaning and connects to my journey.

If you could design for anyone in the world, who would it be—and why?
I would have loved to design for my grandmother. When I was a child, I watched her make her own huipiles and hand embroider them with so much care. She taught me that making things with your hands is an act of love, and designing something for her would be my way of honoring her.

Three things keeping you sane right now
Three things that are keeping me sane right now are spending time in nature, staying active, and being with my family. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or stuck, going outside helps me reset. Whether it’s taking a walk, going for a run, or even playing a soccer match, being active clears my mind, it helps me reconnect with the world around me, and staying physically active keeps both my body and mind strong. Spending time with my family is also very important to me. Their love and support keep me grounded and remind me of what matters most.