This fall I began my first semester at GCC; after what felt like the blink of an eye, summer came to an end and I found myself searching out an open seat in class. One of my most anticipated classes–Fashion, Trends and Design–proved itself deserving of my high hopes.  Within the first week I already felt immersed in the world of fashion: we explored color trends, discussed the ever-ambiguous definition of “Sportswear,” and were exposed to the high-paced thrill of design.

For our first assignment, each student created an original T-Shirt design; the only boundaries being our target market and our imaginations. Immediately my mind began to take off in many directions, seeking possibly inspiration for my design.  In the end I found myself enthralled with an unlikely candidate—burlap.  I couldn’t get out of my mind an image I’d recently seen at a wedding: coarse, unyielding burlap wrapped around the stems of elegant, soft Roses. The beauty behind the juxtaposition of the primitive burlap material with the natural grace of the roses spoke to me and truly inspired my design.

The main features of my design are the burlap bows affixed to the shoulders and the princess seam-style trim.  In each feature I attempted, respectively, to translate my inspiration by using a stiff material to create a soft, gentle bow, and by adding structure to what would otherwise by a soft, flowing garment. 

After completing week 1, I feel confident that the rest of the semesters’ classes will continue to challenge me creatively and help assimilate us fashion students into the cutthroat industry that we all love. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the next weeks!