I am a product of my community, and a reflection of the women who raised me. Craft traditions draw parallels to word of mouth storytelling, in the way that with each generation, stories evolve to reflect the identities of the people who pass it on.
I ask myself, who is reflected in the story that I am stitching? My late mother, who influenced me to draw from my experiences with her as a little girl. My grandmother, who gave me access to needleworking and fostered my creativity in every way possible. The homemaking group of women who taught me the technical sewing skills and garment construction techniques that I continue to finetune today.
These women of my past have handed me everything that I have today, without any expectation of a return from me. That is what I believe to be the female spirit. We make sacrifices for each other, and work tirelessly to afford the next generation the privileges we fight for.
The reason I can claim the term “Homemaker” for myself, and identify with that term with pride, is because for centuries, women have used homemaking skills to advance their education, fight for voting rights, and change the western culture’s definition of femininity, so that I can embrace it.
Take a deep look into some of my research process, drawing from my experiences as a girl from Kentucky, and translating it into a visual design identity.
I am privileged to have grown up in a state shaped by generations of women who instilled their values in me, shared their craft traditions, and passed down the hard-won rights they fought for. Their resilience and artistry inform my perspective, guiding my approach to storytelling through design. By weaving these histories into my work, I seek to honor their legacy and ensure that their contributions continue to shape the future.
Using embroidery, applique, and leathercrafting skills I created design samples and swatches to draw inspiration from during my design process.
This last swatch reads, "I am a product of my community. I am a reflection of the women who raised me. We are drawn to the imagery that resonates with us, our experiences, our aspirations. We are drawn to the stories we want to stitch".
With this project, I aim to share my experiences, aspirations, and the story I am stitching as a fashion designer, one that honors heritage, empowers creativity, and reimagines tradition for the future. Through research and intentional design, I hope to bring visibility to the voices, skills, and struggles of the women who shaped my childhood.
This collection is a celebration of craftsmanship and civic engagement, that honors the history of suffrage. The "I Voted" embroidered detailing transforms traditional tailoring into a statement of resilience, linking historic activism with contemporary wearability. Through my work, I hope to encourage women to use their voices, both in their art, and at the ballot.