Throughout history, women have been told different messages about how they should behave. This presentation begins with a free word poem that communicates this concept. Though the societal expectations of womanhood today seem minimal in comparison, the loose constraints have only opened the door for more messages; in other words, instead of one idea of what a woman should be, there are millions. Be sweet, be sexy, be professional, be modest, be elegant... etc. 

As such my figures embody the different "categories" woman are placed in to reflect these expectations, from playful poses to exposed underdressed croquis to sober and subdued models. This multiple-perspective confusion is further evoked in multi-layered pieces. Confusion is created in looks that contrast exposure with modesty, masculine with feminine, and mixing multiple design details into each look.

To develop the details in this collection, I visited several exhibitions featuring broken glass, including Dia Beacon, The Matress Factory, and the Pittsburg Glass Center, where I extracted ideas to inform the layering of the various fabrics in order to reflect the sharded nature of the glass. I also broke my own glass to inspire unique silhouettes from individual shards as well as to create the beading shapes and the Shattered Rose print.

The Shattered Rose is a key icon in this collection. A rose traditionally represents femininity; the Shattered Rose reflects the million-wise split of what it means to be feminine.

Red also represents the frustration of navigating these views. Red menas anger, spilled wine, moments of passion. Red on glass means blood.

This is not a feminist collection; it's about feminism, and the confusion of what it means to be a woman. Every day a woman is forced to express herself through her clothing, because fashion has decided that her clothing reflects who she is. Our pinacle moment – the final figure – displays the collection's call to action from this experience: break through the noise.