Students learn skills while creating clothing designs

By Rose Hooper

Brittany Hilton could have stepped from the pages of Vogue in her sleek, black velvet gown. Her advanced clothing design classmates at Smoky Mountain High School even think Hilton's gown looks "way better" than the Vogue picture she patterned it after.

"I tweaked it to fit my body," said the statuesque senior, explaining how she "took a tuck or two here and made it tighter there."

She will model the gown during a Fashion Show Saturday, Feb. 22, from noon to 4 p.m. at Southwestern Community College's auditorium. Hilton will use the proceeds from the event she's organizing to benefit the Lady Mustang varsity volleyball team.

Classmates in her advanced clothing design class will join her as they model their handmade creations, including Jessica Stiles, who made a wedding dress as her senior project.

"When you see Kate Welsh in her Victorian-era gown you will really be impressed," said instructor Linda Allen. "But what you are seeing is only the half of it. Under those hoops Kate made the whole rest of the outfit, including the pantaloons and corset."

"The class gives the girls an opportunity to be creative with basic clothing skills, but these girls have gone way beyond any basics," said Allen.

"It took me 100 hours to complete my dress," said Hilton, who found it difficult to deal with crushed velvet because "it kept stretching on me.

"I've made outfits before ­ sweat shirts, jogging pants, a bustierre, but never anything of this magnitude," Hilton said of her Vogue-inspired gown. "I had my own style before I took this class, but the class has helped me accent my style. I've learned to put things together to make one complete outfit."

While some students chose a Vogue original, others may sketch their own designs, said Allen, pointing out that students create a lot on the computer using a draw program.

"It's a far cry from your mother's home ec," said Allen.

Hilton, who prefers designs "with a bold presence," also learned the importance of color.

"For instance, if you are going to an interview at a bank, you would want to wear navy, but if we were interviewing at Bloomingdale's, you would wear brighter colors," said Hilton, who is considering a career in fashion merchandising.

Several students, like Linzie Mathis, plan to pursue careers in marketing and say teacher Stacy Buchanan's marketing class is a "perfect complement" to advanced clothing.

"Look at Brittany," said Allen. "She is using techniques she learned in Mr. Buchanan's class to market her fashion show."

Back to Archive: 02/13/03.