
Allison Bonin '16
While our department is growing steadily, I am enjoying its intimacy and pioneering spirit.”
Describe a body of work that you are currently working on. My current body of work is inspired by a pair of vintage Jell-O molds that were gifted to me over the summer. Like the Jell-O mold, I want these dresses and coats to be highly versatile. The refined designs can be replicated through many […]Read More

Ashley Wernher-Collins '16
Watching a textile come to life on the body is extremely rewarding.”
Describe a body of work that you are currently working on. Currently, my work reflects themes of transformation as it relates to personal growth or natural experiences. In my machine knitting class I recently finished a garment that was inspired by a snake shedding its skin. In my Major’s Studio, I am working on a […]Read More

Textile & Fashion Design Majors
Colorful costumes designed by MECA students and faculty were featured in "An Alice Symphony."”
The colorful costumes seen in the Portland Symphony Orchestra and The Portland Ballet’s performance of “An Alice Symphony” by Del Tredici were designed by Textile & Fashion Design students and faculty. Part of an Enchanted Favorites program, the symphony was in honor of the 150th anniversary of the . . .Read More

Kelsey Haley ’15
I work to showcase the beauty that exists in different cultures throughout the world.”
Inspiration for designer Kelsey Haley comes from travel. “Whether it be the people I meet, the architecture, weather, culture, or religion, all of these components play a role in the making of my textiles and final garments. I work to showcase the beauty that exists in different cultures throughout the world, inspired by ancestry, . . .Read More

Rose Allard '14
I learned to explore color, and was encouraged to think and work big.”
Rose Allard bears the distinction of being the first person to graduate from MECA with a BFA in Textile & Fashion Design. Her thesis collection, Finnwear: Sisu Coats, was inspired by her Finnish grandmother. “Growing up with an insatiable love for sewing, fibers, art and clothing, the Textile & Fashion Design Department, . . .Read More

Faculty Anne Emlein + Faculty Rose Allard '14
I remember as a small girl watching the lobstermen sitting around the general store knitting mittens and trap . . .”
Faculty Anne Emlein and Faculty Rose Allard ’14 were chosen as a Master / Apprentice pair in the 2016 Craft Apprentice Program, implemented by Maine Crafts Association and Maine Arts Commission. The seven-month CAP apprenticeship offers concentrated peer-to-peer learning experiences for apprentices who demonstrate a commitment to . . .Read More

Anne Emlein
Fashion, in the broad sense of the word, finds Mainers at the forefront.”
ON HER ART Textiles and fashion are an immediate, everyday form of expression and something everyone everywhere has participated in since time immemorial, on an individual level, and collectively. Whether “making art” or pursuing a hobby, textiles and fashion always figure in. For me, it isn’t black and white. Whether I am hiking, . . .Read More