Textile & Fashion Design

Textile and Fashion Design at MECA imparts a deep understanding of the design and fabrication of textiles, extensive study of the field of apparel, and exploration of creative expression through the omnipresent medium of fashion.

Receive specialized instruction from Maine’s top industry professionals, contemporary designers, and textile artists while becoming familiar with the vocabulary of technique, material, color, pattern, texture, form, and silhouette.

Acquire the skills and experience to become a confident textile and fashion designer. Delve into material exploration, surface design, fabric manipulation and embellishment, machine knitting, silk screen printing, pattern drafting and draping, garment construction, concept development, and fashion sketching.

Textile and Fashion Design students at MECA are engaged in the process of designing collections, building portfolios and preparing for the future through internships, sponsored studios, and guided entrepreneurship.

Launched in 2013, it was made possible thanks to the generous support of Maine-based philanthropist Roxanne Quimby.

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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
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
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
Former Faculty Anne Emlein + Former Faculty Rose Allard '14
I remember as a small girl watching the lobstermen sitting around the general store knitting mittens and trap . . .”
Former 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 . . .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

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Outcomes

Formal
Students will receive an in-depth education in the field of textiles, learning the properties and uses of fibers, textile techniques, and structures. This foundation will support the students’ explorations in surface design, mark-making, and repeat pattern through surface embellishment and structural manipulation practices. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of color, pattern development, and the expressive qualities of texture and materials in order to build a working vocabulary in support of the development of personal concepts that drive the creative process.

Students will explore the human form as a kinetic 3D armature employing the expressive qualities of textiles as a medium in relation to the body, including the placement of pattern on the body, understanding the scale of garments in relation to the body, and exploring the transformation of the silhouette of the human form through clothing.

Students will learn the evolution of apparel academically and experientially through draping practices by using basic shapes as they relate to the body, supported by the consideration of textile techniques and material choices. Flat pattern drafting and garment construction paired with appropriate choices of textile and textile techniques will serve as a means by which to develop a comprehensive and meaningful body of work.
Conceptual
From the creation of a 2D textile surface to the 3D form of a garment, students will employ the expressive nature of textiles as they relate to the human form. Students will cultivate skills in developing personal concepts that drive their work, supported by an in-depth understanding of the expressive qualities of textiles: materials, techniques, pattern, texture, and color as they relate to the human form through garments and the contemporary expression of fashion. Students will develop the ability to work independently and collaboratively in the classroom community in support of developing processes by which one cultivates sound studio and professional practices. An in-depth knowledge base of textiles and dress in the historical and contemporary context, both regionally and internationally, will serve as a continuous point of reference as the students continue to master the ability to research, critique, present, and articulate about the fields of textiles and fashion.
Technical
Strong emphasis will be placed on hand processes supported by traditional textile and apparel technologies in order to build a working knowledge of non-structured textiles (felt, paper, leather), woven structures (warp and weft grids), and knitted structures (continuous inter-looping structure) as well as a working knowledge of print techniques for apparel fabrics: dyes and pigments, stenciling, canning, stamping, and fabric silkscreen. Students will learn surface design fundamentals: structural manipulation and surface embellishment, including motif type, repeat pattern, croquis, field composition, mark-making, spacing, and scale of motif for print design, knitted fabrics, and garment construction. Studio practices will include mastering industrial sewing machines, single and double bed knitting machines and linkers, dye lab equipment, fabric silkscreen print studio equipment, supporting computer programs (i.e. Photoshop and Illustrator). An in-depth working knowledge of flat pattern drafting and draping, advanced garment construction and tailoring techniques, and knitwear design and construction will complete the students’ technical education.
Professional
The graduate of the Textile and Fashion Design Program will be confident and inspired in his/her ability to relate to the field of textiles and fashion, and will have internalized the program’s professional values so as to be able to cultivate ongoing interest and involvement in contemporary fashion, innovations in textiles and a capacity to develop professionally with a working knowledge of professional connections in the field. With consistent and tangible experience in developing personal concepts to support an enduring practice, the Textile and Fashion Design major will have an established vocabulary in materials, techniques and working processes with which to found an independent entrepreneurial practice, or seek employment in textile/fashion industries as knitwear designers, pattern drafters, print designers, sewing technicians, and  the like. Students will write an articulate artist statement and biography, create an appropriate resume, and draft a cover letter. Students will be required to create both a digital and material portfolio, a website, and a product prototype with a theoretical business plan. Students will be supported by MECA’s Artists at Work Program in helping them find meaningful internships with local and regional textile and fashion practitioners, designers, and businesses. Each student’s senior thesis will realize a “collection” presented during an  annual fashion show.

FAQs

What are some of the career paths for someone who majors in Textile and Fashion Design?
TFD students are prepared to work independently as entrepreneurs or to seek employment in textile or apparel industries. Potential careers include working as textiles artists, textile designers, fashion designers, knitwear designers, upholstered furniture designers, pattern drafters, surface designers, or weavers.
How do you prepare your students for the real world?
Working both by hand and digitally, students prepare for careers of the future by utilizing a diverse set of tools and making practices. Students are supported by MECA’s Artists at Work program to find meaningful internships with local and regional textile, fashion, or costume practitioners, designers or businesses. Students also create a digital portfolio and website and study collection and product development both creatively and technically. Each student creates a collection in their junior year and finalizes their experience with a thesis in their senior year.
What are some examples of what your alumni are doing?
Our students are working as independent artists, knitwear designers, freelance fashion designers, print designers, and technical support for specialty sewing applications.
What are the prerequisites to major in Textile and Fashion Design?
Introduction to Textiles (TF 101) and Introduction to Fashion and Apparel (TF 102)
Will I be able to incorporate other media or interests with my work as a Textile and Fashion Design major?
As textiles artists and fashion designers, students are encouraged to work across diverse media to fully realize their concepts. Often students choose to study woodworking, sculpture, metalsmithing and jewelry, graphic design, printmaking, or illustration in addition to textiles.

Faculty & Staff

Program

To major in Textile & Fashion Design, students must take:

Preparation (1st and 2nd Year)
Introduction to Textiles (TF 101) and Introduction to Fashion and Apparel (TF 102)

Junior Year (3rd Year)
Majors Studio I (TF 321), Majors Studio II (TF 322), Collection Development (TF 325), Introduction to the Discipline (TF 351), Junior Seminar (SEM 352-3-4), and (1) Approved Studio Elective

Senior Year (4th Year)
Major Studio III (TF 421), Major Studio IV (TF 422), Senior Synthesis (SEM 451-SEM 452), and (2) Approved Studio Electives

Workspace & Tools

Textile printing facilities with darkroom
Industrial sewing machines
Industrial sergers and specialty sewing machines
Knitting machines
Large format floor looms
Professional dress forms
Digital textile plotter printer
Dyeing area
Outdoor dye garden

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Textile & Fashion Design

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