It's a Women's World - Design Process

Graduate collection design process and selection of portfolio pages - My original inspiration for my collection derived from reading about a female Soviet Soldier named Mariya Oktyabrskaya, who built a tank to kill the Nazis that killed her husband when they invaded Soviet Russia. I found this really interesting as I have never heard of women fighting in the front lines during World War 2, or overall, where I believed I had a decent education in World History back in California, where I am from and grew up. Furthering my research of women during World War 2 and their roles throughout the world, I found many were key in their countries’ military and running the country when the men were overseas. From snipers, to secret agents, to engineers, I learned so much more on the various roles women had throughout different countries. What also stood out in my research was the emphasis on how women felt in their roles, whether it be factory work or in the ATS, and how their uniform empowered them. This collection is a celebration of how far women's rights have come since the turning point of World War 2 and how much there is still to be achieved. It represents the working women, in any and all aspects, and how we can look good while doing the “men’s work.” What makes it stand out is the attention to detail and construction, the minimal and clean lines to create intricate silhouettes in a tailored and sophisticated way.