Joy

Joy was my senior thesis collection at Columbia College, all inspired by the findings in Juju’s Vintage Antique & Resale in Chicago, the stylings of Iris Apfel, and the memories of playing dress up as a child. I wanted this collection to mimic the overwhelming look of throwing on multiple mismatched garments, much like most of us did as children while playing dress up. I did this by mixing a variety of prints that I designed with various textures and surface embellishments. The prints are all inspired by pieces of jewelry from Juju’s Vintage, and the silhouettes are inspired by 1960’s fashion.

This collection is a culmination of things that bring me true joy, but I share a lot of these passions with my Grandma Joy as well, so the name was only fitting.

I had the pleasure of presenting “Joy” at the 12th annual Strut Fashion Show in Chicago, December 2021.