Textiles & Fashion Design student Elizabeth Song x’24 traveled to Long Beach, California to display her work at the International Textile & Apparel Association annual conference. Song’s exhibition consisted of hand-dyed indigo selvedge denim jeans and a chambray Western-inspired shirt.
“My work draws from personal experiences growing up in a Midwestern, white suburban town as a half Mexican-Korean child,” Song says. “Culture and identity are two values that are important to me and that I struggled with frequently. I equated this feeling of alienation and lonesomeness to the iconic American image of the cowboy.”
In search of a sense of belonging, Song became fascinated with the romanticized portrayal of the Wild West. She found the nostalgia and rustic glamor of the cowboy era charming.
Song shares details about her design process in the following Q&A:
What was the hardest part of creating your work?
There were many firsts I had in this project. I learned about natural indigo dye, while also supplementing with my own research on jeans and denim. Outside of one muslin mockup, drafting and sewing jean pants is still new to me. Learning and honing several skills at once was a challenge, and I definitely had my fair share of roadblocks.
Knowing what you want your goal to look like but lacking the technical skills to execute it can be frustrating. However, I consider this particular work to be that first push into a long, fruitful struggle between my skills and vision.
What was the most enjoyable aspect of working on your design project?
One of my favorite design details is on the back right pocket of the jeans where I used tsutsugaki — a Japanese technique of resist dyeing that involves drawing rice paste designs on cloth, dyeing the cloth and then washing off the paste. I consider my sewing experience to be relatively new, so taking a break by visiting my love for drawing was exciting to me.
Pencil sketching was my first step into the creative world. It’s been a crutch in my life. Having this outlet was cathartic — it felt like I was giving a tiny bit of myself into each sketch. Whether it be a mindless doodle, a perpetual work in progress or something more polished for a bigger audience, I loved that I could make something with my hands and imagination.
I reveled and looked forward to working on my design for the conference exhibition. From making the rice paste and indigo dye vat, to free handing the design, this project was the perfect medley of all my interests.
How has your time in the Textiles & Fashion Design program prepared you for this conference exhibition?
The program’s design courses have heavily inspired the direction I’d like to take in the fashion and textiles world. While I’ve consistently immersed myself in 2D spaces, I rarely considered what textiles and fashion design can offer. I gradually found values that began to shape into my own creative voice. I want to advocate my personal values in my design choices, such as social and environmental sustainability.
Reapplying these basic design foundations was reminiscent of when I developed my passion for drawing. Fashion became a new medium for me to explore, and while frustrating at some points, it kept me active and stimulated in the creative field. I wish to keep evolving with these expanded viewpoints.
Give us a glimpse into what it took to prepare for this exhibition. Who supported you in this process?
I initially psyched myself out of applying for the exhibition. I wouldn’t have reconsidered that decision unless encouraged by my professors. Mitch Frank (Design Studies teaching faculty) recommended I apply and helped over the summer with my application. He was extremely generous in providing much needed advice and review.
Sara Holwerda (Design Studies lecturer) supplied me with the space and motivation to explore natural indigo dye and introduced me to various dyeing techniques such as tsutsugaki. She opened up a lot of doors and started conversations that I will continue to incorporate in future projects. My exploration in blue jean and indigo dye history was supported by Mary Hark (Design Studies professor). Her critiques and genuine interest pushed me to think about how I wanted this body of work to take shape.
Finally, Marina Moskowitz (Design Studies professor and the Lynn and Gary Mecklenburg Chair in Textiles, Material Culture & Design) gave me the opportunity to display my work in the Human Ecology student lead exhibition. This experience was that necessary push of courage that affirmed I would be able to do something similar in a conference setting.
I’ll forever express my gratitude for the School of Human Ecology faculty who’ve supported me. Thanks to them, I’ll graduate from the Textiles & Fashion Design program curious and insatiable to learn more than ever before.