Maine College of Art’s first fashion show, Maine: Four Seasons in a Day, proved what kind of hive that school truly is. Cross-pollination was visible at it’s best, with creative efforts from students in the new Textile + Fashion Design department, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Furniture + Woodworking, Graphic Design, Sculpture and Printmaking. The sold-out production was fabulous, and inspired a few fashion drawings, such as the above, my take on the electrical dress by Allen West, ’10.
Woodworking + Furniture alum, Ollie Percival, is now a tech assistant in Textiles + Fashion. He worked the knitting machine in the Porteous window before the runway show.
Rangely Morton, ’14, designed and created the set through an internship in Woodworking + Furniture Design. Love how it echoes the honeycomb pattern used in marketing graphics, a sweet nod to benefactor Roxanne Quimby, whose gift made possible the addition of Textile + Fashion to MECA’s curriculum.
The show included items from her personal collection, both on models and hanging within the gallery. Daisy finds it all pretty cool.
The models were real folks, many students and alumni, all clearly enjoying their roles, as did emcee Louise Tuski, who purred the descriptions of each garment and accessory with obvious pride.
There are better photos elsewhere, but here are a few of mine from the back row.
The hair and make-up by Satori Salon + Spa was blockbuster. This was one of my faves.
A big crowd-pleaser came in the form of Faun by Illustration alum, Phoenix Zoellick, creator of BeastWares.
You can see my short, short glimpse of her strut here. She rocked it!
An element of the mythic wild appeared again in a headdress called Druidity by Victor Sylva, ’16. I simply had to sketch it:
Last fall, while new department chair Anne Emlein launched the fashion curriculum, I gave an assignment to my illustration juniors to capture their take on “Maine fashion.” This one by Kiah Gardner fits right in.
Another student, Chelsea Canny, envisioned this lobster dress.
How cool to see The Lobster Parlour by Kelly Brophy stroll down the runway! With it’s ash bustle framework and spider web lace netting, it’s sure to catch a few fashionistas.
I was delighted to see a freshman student’s foundation assignment, 1000 Things Project, appear as a skirt with suspenders, fashioned entirely from safety pins, by Michael Loughran, ’16. See second from left below.
After a standing ovation, patrons roamed the galleries full of wares for sale. Note the bar design below, also by Rangely Morton.
This adornment by Theresa Gannett, ’13, was also a show-stopper.
The “mud season” may be upon us, when it feels like we weather all four seasons in a single day, but Mainers know how to do it with style and humor, and maybe some softly felted wool.
Bravo to Maine College of Art for celebrating fashion in Maine and it’s new department!
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