AMERICAN SPIRITED: THESIS COLLECTION

My Senior Thesis Collection, created from 2018-19, highlights the importance of how patriotism in America has been skewed in our current political climate. Using James Baldwin's line from Notes from a Native Son , "I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually", I created this collection with the intention of emphasizing the importance of protest, freedom of speech and expression, and what it truly means to be a patriot of the United States: holding this nation accountable in times of turmoil. I used traditional fabrics, native to the United States and its history, such as shearling and denim, to name a few. I also played off of silhouettes from the 1960's and 70's to pay homage back to an unparalleled era for fashion as well as political events - an era of protest.