Publication Date
Spring 4-22-2026
Presentation Length
Poster/Gallery presentation
College
O'More College of Architecture & Design
Department
Fashion Design and Merchandising
Presentation Type
Gallery
Summary
Sarah E. Andersen
This collection explores the strength of American women and the systems that attempt to define, contain, and judge them. Inspired by historical power dressing, feminist theory, and the fashion industry’s constructed ideals, the work confronts the Madonna–Whore complex and the policing of women’s bodies. Through American-grown cotton and heritage garment techniques, each look exposes tension between authority and vulnerability, modesty and desire. The final look contrasts the real woman with the dress form and exaggerated silhouette society demands, revealing the impossibility of meeting such standards. The collection reframes empowerment as visibility, resistance, and refusal.
Lily Brenner | Peace and Distress
Peace and Distress is a military-inspired collection that unveils the post-war realities faced by U.S. veterans. Using senseless conflict as an instrument of national policy results in PTSD, physical injury, and limited government support for those who fought. Veterans and victims of war deserve justice and remembrance, not repetition. These beliefs are materialized through torn fabrics, weathered textures, and muted military tones. Inspired by my dad’s service, Peace and Distress blends protest, unity, and structure to question the realities of war and challenge the gap between justice and the systems meant to protect it.
Keely Enriquez | Vida Unida
Vida Unida is about identity; it celebrates diversity and storytelling by highlighting who I relate to and others who are children of immigrant parents. A purpose to have more pride in one’s multi-identity. Inspired by Guatemalan culture, such as their traditional hand-woven clothing and the flag itself, combines my interest in modern American elegance. I want to showcase Vida Unida, its message in the form of a dress, skirt, and a pant suit with multiple colors and structural fabrics. Vida Unida depicts the hardships immigrants have faced, yet it also shows a light by sharing their culture with others and fostering connections.
Hugh Francis Farnum | American Etiquette
American Etiquette is a collection inspired by my lifelong admiration for the quiet strength of America’s First Ladies. Their poise, sacrifice, and dignified femininity under pressure led me to explore the balance between structure and vulnerability in my designs. I was drawn to their tradition of modest garments that communicate authority, refinement, and restraint while still celebrating womanhood. Through tailored silhouettes, softened proportions, and classic American fibers like wool and cotton, I translate their legacy into a timeless Americana palette that reflects discipline, elegance, and feminine grace. Through this work, I honor the women who shaped our national image while expressing my own vision of tradition, resilience, and empowered femininity.
Kelina Vu | SHE WEARS ELEGANCE
SHE WEARS ELEGANCE is a visual representation of handcrafted work that blends across cultures and beauty. This collection takes inspiration from 1700s colonial periods of America, specifically the Ipswich colony. Lace in America came to be what it is today through the relationship America had with France, creating luxury with handcrafted work. My collection will blend these two worlds to create a romantic & empowering collection, highlighting the heritage of lace. SHE WEARS ELEGANCE uses textures, patterns, colors, all to bring out the styles of American history. The question one should ask is how something so soft and beautiful, be so powerful and independent.
Carolina Garcia | Raíces Vivas
Raíces Vivas’ is inspired by my personal interpretation of American heritage, from the point of
view as a Mexican American designer. This collection explores the balance between honoring
my Mexican cultural roots and expressing individuality, blending my aesthetic with traditional
Mexican fashion techniques. Through craftsmanship, texture, and silhouette, the designs reflect the resilience, creativity, and history passed down through generations. This collection also serves as a tribute to my parents, whose sacrifices made it possible for me to pursue fashion. ‘Raíces Vivas’ honors my Mexican heritage while reimagining it within a contemporary
American context through culture, craftsmanship, and personal narrative.
Caroline Hardy | Riveted
“Riveted” is a workwear collection that takes a modern twist on historical workwear. Taking
inspiration from denim blue jeans and women’s workwear during World War 2. Denim blue
jeans started off as a common workwear garment and now have become a piece of fashion that is worn by everyone. Denim blue jeans bring unity. As a rivet brings unity to the corners of your jeans. “Rivited” uses the classic denim fabric and workwear silhouettes to communicate unity. It is opening our eyes to find the small things that are bringing us together.
Kelly Ann Ozier | Trapped in White
My collection is about celebrating who you are and wanting self expression. I want to
show that self expression and how it is important to be true to yourself. It is important to
want to stand out and wear what you want to wear, wearing what you want is great for
mental health and self-confidence. I want this collection to mean something to someone and
give confidence to the wearer. I think that the clothes you wear can be impactful to the
wearer. This collection is meant to give self confidence for someone.- Kelly Ann Ozier
Kira Andrews | Modern Roots
Modern Roots is inspired by Black American heritage and the complex history of cotton. By
incorporating African print fabrics from different cultures, the collection reflects a broader
lineage of Black creativity while reclaiming a fiber historically tied to exploitation. Cotton
becomes a symbol of empowerment, pride, and modern expression. The collection explores the
duality of pain and progress, honoring the past while celebrating resilience, innovation, and
confidence. Modern Roots presents a grounded, contemporary vision of American fashion that
centers Black identity and intentional design.
Morgan Blanton | A Garden of Her Own
“A Garden of Her Own” is about women’s ability to grow regardless of the soil we are planted
in; our American roots. To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow and that is all we do as
humans. There is one quote in particular that resonated with me the most when producing this
collection and that is “may the flowers remind us of why the rain was so necessary” by Xan Oku. To me this is what ties fashion and women’s history together. This collection isn’t about
forgetting our past, it's about acknowledging it and noticing how we used it to create “flowers”.
It’s in unity with what Amelia Bloomer did as well, and why her portion of history stood out to
me the most. Amelia saw that women were being restricted and silenced and chose to transform this moment into something beneficial and beautiful by starting a movement with bloomers. Flowers grow back even after they’re stepped on, and so will we.
Simon Hamrick | Indigotown
indigotown is the story of growing up as a young artist in Charleston, my home, written with the textile that built both my town and this country. Denim started as a workwear textile, but it has grown into so much more than that, clothing runway models, blue collar works, children, and every other type of person you could think of around the globe. Using a variety of denim textures, techniques, and colors, I want to make my childhood and teen memories into something both beautiful and lasting: a triptych of my experience growing up in my hometown by the sea.
Tezz Dozier | Built Bouquet
Maryville Made draws inspiration from the industrious and welcoming communities of Maryville, Alcoa, and nearby towns in Tennessee. I merged heritage workwear, school uniforms, and Appalachian construction apparel with a contemporary streetwear aesthetic to produce oversized silhouettes, layered pockets, and utility-focused details. The collection honors craftsmanship and durability while infusing a modern style that serves as my personal
signature. Each piece embodies pride, resilience, and community spirit, while the streetwear elements introduce an urban vibrancy. This approach represents my contribution to Maryville and offers a fresh, modern means of showcasing local identity through fashion.
Recommended Citation
Chapman, Nathan, "Designing Heritage Using Digital Fashion Tools" (2026). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 798.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/798
