DAAP Students Launch Spirit Line

Who knows collegiate-aged student fashion better than actual students at a college?! Champion/Unrivaled Teamwear was wise enough to realize that DAAP student designers, who are on the pulse of all things fashion and in the thick of their school’s culture, could gain real-life experience designing an officially licensed line of UC Bearcats athletic spirit wear.

The  Champion/Unrivaled Teamwear and DAAP collaboration started in the spring of 2025 with nine students creating designs for the Champion/Unrivaled Teamwear Student Made Collection. The project culminated with a well-deserved celebration on Wednesday, September 24th from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at UC’s Tangeman Center. The “Made You Look” pop-up student showcase put a spotlight on the hard work and energy put into the design process. With student-designed apparel available for purchase, giveaways, snacks, music, photo opps and visits with the Bearcat, this event was a huge success. Students browsed the new apparel offerings, made purchases, and soaked up the good vibes!

The Champion/Unrivaled Teamwear Student Made Collection line of apparel is now available for purchase online!

Click HERE to browse the new line of DAAP student-designed UC athletic wear, by Champion


Cincinnati Family Magazine attended the Made You Look event, and we were lucky enough to sit down with three student designers. We chatted about their experiences with the design Co-op offered through DAAP, looked back on the era they realized they had a knack for design and fashion, and chatted about their favorite parts about being students at UC. Their passion was inspiring and their goals for their futures, considering the amazing talent they each have, are absolutely achievable. These designers will go far, so make sure to remember their names and learn all about them by reading on, below…

Student Spotlight 1: Chris Caterino

Cincinnati Family Magazine: We would love to hear all about your experience designing with Champion! 
Chris Caterino (CC): I have always loved designing. In high school, I studied design specifically, and I graduated with my Associates of the Arts. I have always had that passion for making things. This experience with Champion—a HUGE, well-know sports brand—was an amazing opportunity and a great place to see what it is like to be in the professional world and gain real life experience.
CFM:How does it feel seeing your design in real life, on a hanger, ready to go be worn?
CC: It is insane! I wasn’t expecting anything like this at all. When I got the news that one of my designs was picked, I was with my older sister and I jumped up and down. I called my dad and my sister and they were all just screaming and excited for me.
CFM: I would say that you all had reason to scream and jump up and down! *laughs* This was a pretty competitive design competition, right?
CC:  Yes! Honestly, I look at my classmates designs and they’re all so amazing.
CFM: And your designs is one of those, too! So that means you are a pretty phenomena designer…have you always been interested in fashion? Or are your interested more in the design world?
CC: I have always had an interest in both. When I picked up a sewing needle for the first time, when I started doing embroidery, that’s when things started to click for me. I was like “I love clothes and I love designing! I love making things from scratch”.
CFM: Do you remember the first piece that you ever made?
CC: I do! It was a Nike logo that was made out of floral designs, and I still have that piece!
CFM:That is amazing. And now you are designing for UC!? What is your favorite part of being a student here?
CC: Oh my gosh, where do I even start? Honestly, UC has given me a home. I have found my people here. I have found my forever friends, my forever … like family! I could not be more grateful. School has always been kind of “whatever”, at UC it is something deeper, way beyond my expectations.
CFM: You are making me want to come back to college! Haha! Do you remember when you just knew that fashion and design were going to be your path in life? 
CC: It may be a silly answer. But I have known since I was around 5 or 6, I watched a Barbie movie and it was about fashion. It was all of these amazing clothes. I began drawing dresses from the movie in my little sketchbook and ever since then, I have loved everything about clothes. The designing, the art, the creating.
CFM: I don’t think that is a silly answer at all! In fact, being a family magazine, I know that parents are looking at their kids and really wanting to encourage their hobbies and interests so they can alway flourish! So I want you to take a moment and DREAM BIG! Manifest your future and let us know your dream job!
CC: I have a lot of dreams with fashion. I would love to design for a major brand. I would also like to run my own business. It would be a dream to become a house of fashion. I also currently run a fashion show here at UC called Reclaimed Runways and our show is actually next week! I would love to run with that and make it bigger and better—countrywide with expansions in Chicago, New York and California. It is all about uplifting small designers and stylists and giving them a place to present their clothes on the runway, network and get portfolio opportunities.
CFM: If you could give advice to a creative kiddo who is interested in fashion and design, or their parents, what would you say to them?
CC: I come from parents who are immigrants from different countries, and they came here for a better opportunity, a better chance at life for their family. There has always been a push for me to get a job that makes money because this world feels like it is all about money. I have been pushed to be the best and do the best. I personally wish to say how important it is to give yourself grace and leisure, and enjoy life as it is and go into what you love to do. Do something that you love, something that you are passionate about, and something that you can express yourself in. Don’t do something because it is someone else’s wishes—do it because you love to do it. My family is now very proud, but it took work. It took me showing up and showing them that this business is big and there are chances here. And I am happy. 

Student Spotlight 2: Lilly Walters

CFM: Can you tell us about your experience designing for Champion and how it felt hearing your design was chosen?
Lilly Walters (LW): At first I was a bit surprised, just because I have never worked with such a big company before. I also thought it was just an amazing opportunity! It was really eye opening to make something that could bring the community together—it has been a huge privilege.
CFM:Have you always been interested in fashion? Or was it more the component of designing that interested you?
LW: I would say fashion hasn’t been a real priority in my life until more recently. When I learned how to sew, it really got me into having a love of using my hands to make something. Being able to work with software during the project has been very insightful and has definitely made me more confident in my ability to create graphic heavy designs.
CFM: What has been your favorite part of being a student at UC?
LW: The campus environment is really fun. At first it can feel intimidating, but if your heart is into it, it can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever get to do. I have had so many experiences that I wouldn’t have experienced anywhere else. You have to be open to experiences. I have gotten to work in the industry, travel the world and experience fashion from a different cultural standpoint. Be open to it, and dive right in.
CFM: That is an amazing outlook. When did you know the design and fashion were going to be your path?
LW: I was around 17 and I wanted to try new things and design my own clothing. It was around that time where you kind of have to decide what you are going to do the rest of your life. And fashion and designing is something I can see myself doing and being happy and satisfied with throughout my life!
CFM: Fashion has taken you places already—where else can it take you… what are your big dreams and your dream job?
LW: Right now I have a tailoring business, and I would love to expand that once I graduate. I love giving new life to clothes. In previous Co-ops, I have saved a lot of vintage clothes and upcycled vintage fabrics. I just think recycling slow fashion is very important, especially today. I would also love to design accessible clothing for people with physical disabilities. If there isn’t a brand to collaborate with, maybe I can be the change I want to see.
CFM: If it isn’t being done already, might as well do it yourself! Last question… if there was a high school student curious about coming to UC, joining DAAP…. what advice would you give them?
LW: I was in that situation. I had gotten into the program, but I was nervous it wouldn’t be the right fit for me… I worried that maybe I should try community college first. My guidance counselor pulled me in and told me it would be foolish to not take the opportunity now with this incredible program. He was definitely right. Just jump in. I feel like with some things there is never a right time to do something. Just sort of brace yourself, surround yourself with people who support you and dive right in. It’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be so rewarding in the end.

Student Spotlight 3: Emma Fry

CFM: What was your experience discovering the Champion Co-op and design process?
Emma Fry (EF): In the beginning, they told us, “Hey, we’re gonna do a project with Champion!”. But they didn’t have any details, yet. Then we had our first kickoff meeting and an amazing presentation that was professional and so welcoming. They were so professional and so sweet. They have a really relatable and energetic team, which made it easy for us, as college students, to connect with them. We were shown options, shown graphics and then worked on our designs independently. We did reviews with our professor, Shelby Schaefer, who offered opinions. She’s the best! Then we talked about the process with the team to discuss are we going to screen print? embroider? some combination of the two? There is so much that goes into the process from fabric sizes and everything else.
CFM: It truly sounds like a real world experience of what being a designer is really like!
EF: Yeah! They said they were there if we needed help but also encouraged us to be really creative. They were truly interested in seeing what we wanted to do as students, as the people who are here every single day, who see what people are really wearing.
CFM: So how does it feel seeing your design on an actual shirt, knowing that people are going to buy it and go wear it?!
EF: It is really fun. It is so exciting. We didn’t see any of the samples before today. We saw pictures on the website, but that’s not exactly the same. Coming in today and seeing everything was amazing.
CFM: So have you always been interested in fashion, or were you more interested in design growing up?
S3: When I was a kid in first or second grade, I started having health issues. I wasn’t able to keep doing the normal kid activities like soccer or dance or gymnastics. But my grandma’s best friend had a sewing machine. My mom knew I love doing things with my hands, like making dresses for my Babrie dolls out of paper, so my mom said, “I bet she would love to learn how to sew!”. My grandma’s friend taught me how to sew. Then I got to intern in some costume shops for different theaters in the Dayton area, where I am from, and I learned so much. I figured out I could design my own things, and I just really took off! Around fifth or sixty grade I was pretty focused on fashion and professional design.
CFM: That is truly amazing that you found your passion at such a young age! What advice would you have for kids who have found their passion?
EF: Social media has become an amazing way to connect with people who already know what they’re doing. You can find local people—there is a somewhat local little sewers club where this lady teaches basic sewing, fashion drawing and draping. It’s so easy to find people these days who know their stuff. And most adults LOVE to hear from a young person that is interested in something like sewing design. Don’t be afraid to reach out. My mom would email our local theaters and say “Hey, I have a kid who loves to sew. You may think it’s weird that she’s really young, but I honestly think she’d be really useful!” Just be brave and put yourself out there!
CFM: That should be a life motto!
EF: Right? So many people want to help you. Especially when you are young—people want to support passion! And you never know, maybe you will end up selling your shirts at the campus bookstore.
CFM: It truly is so cool seeing all of these amazing items for sale here at UC! What is your favorite thing about being a student here?
S3: I really love the Co-op program at UC. It was a big draw for me to come here and get real life experience. It is a smaller program that allows us to get individual one-on-one time with our professors for individual feedback. You know everyone who is in your grade, you know their name and what’s going on in their life.
CFM: It sounds like an amazing community that you can probably lean on when you graduate, to network.
EF: Yes! Graduates of the program are wonderful to connect with, also. They have been there and done that and know how it is a crazy major. Instead of taking a test or doing a paper it’s like… “I have pants due tomorrow.” *laughs* It is different and so unique.
CFM: That uniqueness of the program will take you far, I am sure! What would your dream job be once you graduate? Manifest it! Dream big!
EF: My dream job would be to work with companies developing adaptive apparel for people with disabilities. That is what I am really, really passionate about and what I would like to do one day. I would love to help make adaptive apparel that isn’t just functional, but also feels just as fun and pretty as everyday clothes. There is a lot of really basic stuff out there, but we need all types of adaptive wear like dresses and gowns-all of fashion deserves to be adaptable for people with disabilities. 

About Champion

Since 1919, Champion has offered a full line of innovative athletic apparel for men and women, including activewear, sweats, tees, sports bras, team uniforms, footwear and accessories. Today, as a lifestyle brand born from sport, Champion uses innovative design and state-of-the-art product testing to ensure uncompromised quality and innovative apparel for consumers. Beyond its products, the brand’s mission is to provide every Champion a canvas to live their true purpose; rooted in the belief that Champions are defined not by what they make, but by what they do with it. Champion wants to inspire others to not just win, but to Champion a better tomorrow, and is dedicated to supporting creators by giving them a platform to tell their stories, support their values, and communities.

Learn more at champion.com.