My thesis, the culmination of my passion for history, fashion design and graphic design, was a result of my study abroad in Italy last spring where I fell in love with stories of the living, breathing history that surrounded me.
The symbolism of St. Peter’s Basilica and The Sistine Chapel, with their rich adornments and artisan-tailored décor reveal how important the sacred places of worship are to their patrons. Yet, sometimes the papal leaders with a pure reputation of goodness can alternately be a reminder of the darkness that may exist even in the holiest of places and leaders.
This idea, as well as my photography from Rome, specifically the handcrafted mosaics and recessed ceilings, served as the basis for my thesis. My thesis includes a fashion clothing line featuring a collection of 8 looks for 2014 spring/summer Ready-to-Wear. I’ve created the looks based on the organic swooping arches seen in cathedral windows for the panels that strategically integrate with the textile patterns I designed. As the objects in the textiles are replicated, they transform into snake-like patterns. The symbolism of good and evil in each textile allows this fascinating juxtaposition to take place. I also illustrated the clothing on models, produced some of the garments, art directed a fashion shoot, designed a look book, and created an identity system for the clothing line.
I am intrigued by the connections created between significant historical structures and the stories of the people who inhabited those spaces. Where there is good and evil, my textiles bridge that gap harmoniously.
4 of the 8 looks
The Lookbook was made of white lambskin and lazer-etched with the signature logo.
front cover of the Lookbook
leather lazer-etched hangtags
The white leather jacket is lined with my original design printed on cotton silk fabric.
The pencil skirt is a combination of two of my textile designs inspired by mosaic cathedral floors.
The dual layered dress has a strapless underlayer with an inlaid panel of
my original textile design and an overlay of translucent white silk.
The silk translucent top has textile panels inspired by St. Peters Basilica's ceiling oculus.
