Hi! My name is Michaela and I am currently a second year fashion design student at Kent State University. Portland, Maine is my home, but I love exploring new places every chance I get, so I am enjoying my time in the Midwest while I am at university. I grew up dancing with the Maine State Ballet and studying fine arts in high school. I love all things art, visual, and performance. My main focus with fashion as I develop my design aesthetic is sustainability. Fashion is a highly polluting industry, harming our environment, workers who are involved in production and our fragile economy. My goals for my future career are to create designs that cause minimal harm to our planet and the people on it, by utilizing sustainable materials and ethical labor practices.
Another main focus of mine in fashion is knitwear design. My mom taught me how to knit when I was five years old and ever since then I have been obsessed with it, designing my own patterns and starting my collection of handmade accessories and garments. When I’m not working on my latest knitting project you can find me curled up with my cat, a good book, watching scary movies, doodling or out exploring and taking pictures with friends.
Winter is my absolute favorite season. I love bundling up with layers of warm clothing and piling on cute accessories to match. This look is my go to outfit for chilly winter days and can be easily recreated for your own wardrobe. I knit this textured mock neck pullover from a Brooklyn Tweed pattern using Quince & Co yarn. This Madewell Cocoon Mock Neck Sweater is a similar look, but just without all the extra time spent hand knitting. I love denim and I love denim on denim even more. I’ll usually pair jeans with a denim shirt in a different shade to add contrast. My simple, black leather booties are my favorite shoes I own; just the right height to still be able to walk across campus in and a sleek design that matches everything I own. To finish the look, I always throw on a scarf to add color and necessary warmth. I love bold, saturated colors, red being one of my favorites and I prefer them to be oversized so I can wrap them around my neck or let them hang straight.
I hope you find this look easy to make from your own pieces and just as cozy as I do. Don’t forget to follow my adventures and art on social media and check back for more posts!
