On the second floor of Texas Tech’s Human Sciences building, you won’t find your conventional classroom. Instead, you’ll find a lab filled with rows of sewing machines, mannequins wheeling across the floors and sketches that come to life.
“You have to make something in 2-D that will eventually turn in to3-D and that’s something a lot of people don’t rally realize,” said Ashley Rougeux-Barnes, interim program director of TTU Apparel Design and Manufacturing (ADM).
Barnes helps oversee the department and guides aspiring designers through the process of learning the tricks of the trade by helping them land internships and work toward their dream jobs.
“We try to expose them [students] to as much as possible, especially being out here in Lubbock and being a little secluded from the traditional fashion industry,” explained Barnes. “But just because we don’t have companies who don’t have their headquarters here, we are not secluded from the art district, we do have a lot of arts within Lubbock, which can be extremely inspiring to students.”
It certainly works for ADM senior Elizabeth Kaplan, who says she has been able to find inspiration in the desert-feel of West Texas.
“Just being out kinda in the desert, I like that style that influences some of the work that I do,” said Kaplan, who hopes to venture to New York and design ballet costumes.
Fellow senior, Breana Martinez, also hopes to move to New York, but says her time at Texas Tech has played a vital role in her journey.
“A lot of people struggle with just the freshman class, but if it’s something you know you love it, and you’re going to work hard for it, then I think it is for you, and you should do it,” said Martinez.
And then there are grad students like Alicia McDonald who say they’re living out their dream right now: working to teach up and coming fashion designers at Texas Tech.
“Making changes within our industry is going to start with these young people,” said McDonald, who shared she was inspired most by her mother and designer Betsey Johnson’s creativity. “Growing up, my mom taught me creativity comes from not having what you think you need.”
Some of McDonald’s pieces will be featured at the next First Friday Art Trail (11/03).
