Project Statement

Finding stylish and expressive workwear as a plus-size person can be a struggle—especially when most options feel bland or uninspired. My project is all about changing that by bringing my love for chaos and pattern into a repeat design collection made specifically for plus-size and inclusive professional fashion.

Using geometric patterns and optical illusions, I aim to challenge the notion that workwear must be dull to be professional. My designs will be bold but wearable, blending movement and energy with a muted pastel and autumn/winter color palette that fits workplace settings.

As someone who has personally struggled to find work-friendly clothes that reflect my style, I know how frustrating it can be. This project is my response to that gap in the market—a way to bring confidence, creativity, and personality into professional attire for all body types. My goal is to prove that plus-size fashion can be both functional and artistically exciting.

Research

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Research ~

For this repeat collection, Femme/Form/Furore, I began my research by exploring print and pattern trends on sites like WGSN to understand current fashion directions. I then delved into historical graphic and geometric repeats from the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s using resources like Pinterest, the New York Public Library digital database, and other library archives. To ground my work in contemporary fashion, I studied designers like Diane von Furstenberg to better understand how femininity and work-appropriate clothing are expressed through prints and patterns in the fashion industry. I also referenced the Vogue Business 2025 Autumn/Winter Size Inclusivity Guide to inform my understanding of the plus-size market and how prints can be designed to flatter a diverse range of body types.