High school students will work alongside practicing professionals while adhering to social distancing guidelines and health and safety protocols. We have been blessed to be able to transition to on-campus instruction for 2020-21 at Belmont, and excited to launch O’More Summer Studios in the areas of fashion design and merchandising during the month of June and share the gift of design with the youth.
Participants will engage in college-level instruction during one-week sessions, reflecting the rigor and atmosphere of our university programs. The majority of supplies are included with the exception of a few items that students will need to bring, which is noted by class.
O’More Summer Studios will end with a celebratory reception each week showcasing student works.
The O’More Summer Studio program does not provide any college credits, official transcripts, housing, or meal plans. We do provide a letter of completion upon request.
Designing with Unconventional Materials
Alexander McQueen was one of the most inspirational designers, often fusing fashion with unpredictable materials, technology, and lofty concepts. In this course, students will channel their inner McQueen to create a design based on an inspiration that is personal to them using unconventional materials, with no fabric allowed. Students will be challenged to let their imaginations run wild during this exciting course, and problem solving will be at the heart of the studio for the week.
Thumbnail image design credit: Emily LaRose
Digital Design for Fashion
Students interested in pursuing a career in Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising need to be familiar with the one most widely used software programs in the industry, Adobe Photoshop. In this course, students will explore the tools in Photoshop and how the software is used in fashion. A digital project will be created emphasizing the skills learned in the class that can be included in a fashion portfolio.
Thumbnail image design credit: Marian Anderson
Fashion Forecasting
A forecaster predicts silhouettes, colors, fabrics, textures, and prints for apparel, accessories and beauty products based on current events, social and environmental changes, and new technologies. In this course, students will have access to the top industry forecasting service and create an inspiration and style board for a selected retailer and target market.
Thumbnail image design credit: Kaelah Thomas & Kat Westmoreland
Fashion Illustration
Explore fashion design in the art of illustration. Putting the ideas of the mind in drawing form helps fashion designers fully imaging new products for the marketplace. In this course, students will be introduced to the fashion figure and sketching techniques. Students will apply the basic skills and design a mini-collection using a variety of mediums.
Thumbnail image design credit: Marian Anderson
Fashion is Your Career - REMOTE
Did you know that Nashville is one of the fastest growing hubs for fashion? Spend time with fashion industry veteran, Lacie Thorne, who has collaborated with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and Adam Levine on the development of their namesake clothing brands. Fashion industry professionals will be invited to virtually meet with the class and share their experiences. With Lacie’s guidance and expertise, each student will execute a project that can be added to their fashion portfolio that meets industry expectations.
Thumbnail image design credit: Photography, Jamie-Lyn Fehr Hall | Designer, Ashlee Riegler
Handbag Design
Designer handbags are an eleven-billion-dollar industry. In this course, students will learn about the top brands, including Chanel, Gucci, Dior, and Louis Vuitton. Students will learn entry-level pattern, sewing, and techniques for handbag design and they will leave with their own, self-designed finished handbag!
Jewelry Design
Jewelry designer Debe Dohrer has 20 years of experience in the fashion industry with 12 of those years as a maker of conceptual jewelry pieces. In this course, students will be introduced to the process of jewelry design, and manipulate objects through creativity and create a custom piece of jewelry.
No Waste Design
Recycling, repurposing, and restoring saves our environment. In this course, students will learn how to take existing garments, accessories, and a variety of items that are unwanted to create something new. Students will deconstruct and create new items with embellishments, embroidery techniques, and cut and sew methods. Students should bring garments, accessories and any item that could be used to create something new for their closets.
O'More Summer Studios Instructors
- Natasha Andrews
- Debe Dohrer
- Laura Horner
- Aubrey Hyde
- Shannon Pennington
- Lacie Thorne
Natasha Andrews
Natasha is an Arkansas native and recent graduate of O’More College at Belmont University with a BFA in Fashion Design. Throughout her college career she interned and was later employed in the alteration sector of the fashion industry performing wedding gown alterations, exclusively. Natasha is currently in the process of launching her own line of cocktail and seasonal dresses. Her future plans include sharing the knowledge she gained from the industry and through education with her community, and students in the area of fashion illustration.
Debe Dohrer
She has always marched to the beat of a different drummer; have always been a maverick, and a non-conformist on some level. Debe has never been a joiner or a follower. Even after getting a cancer threat 35 years ago, and then given two years to live with a liver disease 20 years ago, she never surrendered! Both of those particular events, plus other bumps along the road made her even more discerning about who she needed to be and what her mission was. They all heightened her awareness to the fact that appearance was integral and paramount to productivity. In the year 2000 Debe founded CustomRAGS a custom clothing business because she wanted to assist others in reaching their pinnacle thru appearance and style, which seeps into every aspect of life. She never wants her clients to settle for mediocrity in their wardrobe. In 2008 debe dohrer design was created – conceptual accessories for the unconventional. Her jewelry line is not for the meek. It’s an unapologetic, attention worthy jewelry component that is memorable, and always makes a statement. The collaboration of style continues throughout all of her accessories.
Photo: John Jackson
Laura Horner
Laura Horner has been working as a designer for nearly two decades with experience ranging from small, independent labels to large, corporate brands. Born and raised in North Carolina, she began experimenting with fashion and style at a young age before graduating with Honors from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Apparel Design. Fresh from college she started her career as a designer for Urban Outfitters, quickly honing her collaborative skills. Laura then moved to Marc by Marc Jacobs in New York where she notably spent seven years designing with the RTW Women's collection. Following this, she held Design Director positions at Juicy Couture in Los Angeles and Draper James in Nashville. As a Design Consultant, she remains influenced and inspired by color and textiles and enjoys fine-tuning a collection from concept to creation.
Aubrey Hyde
Always a creative child, Aubrey began her creative career at Otis College of Art & Design, in her hometown of Los Angeles. Majoring in fashion design, she followed her passion for custom couture clothing and went to work at a fast-paced Hollywood costume shop after graduation. It was here that her passion for hand work, designer details and fine craftsmanship flourished. After a move to Nashville in 2001, Aubrey soon ran the Nashville Ballet’s costume shop and became their resident designer. It was here that she grew her love for hand dyeing. She also opened up an online shop where she sold hand dyed accessories and fulfilled wholesale orders from retailers such as Free People. Later, by luck, she met a wardrobe stylist who had just taken on a soon-to-be very busy Nashville entertainer. Aubrey spent the next three years running around the globe non-stop working on world tours and red carpets. After her busy career took a halt with the birth of her son, she refocused on her creative passions; designing, sewing and hand dyeing. All of her products are dyed and sewn by Aubrey in her East Nashville studios. She also enjoys her freelance work as a seamstress and wardrobe consultant for the music industry in Nashville.
Photo: Trevor Tyson
Shannon Pennington
Shannon is a Professor of Practice in the Fashion program with O’More College, and comes from the corporate worlds of The Walt Disney Company and The Ironman Group. In nine years at The Walt Disney Company, Shannon worked in both the Creative Costuming and Global Merchandising departments. She has designed and developed costumes and products for Disney Parks across the globe. One of her most memorable career moments was working in the Lucasfilm Archives at the Skywalker Ranch to adapt original Star Wars film costumes into mass production retail garments. In the past year, Shannon’s activewear collections for The Ironman Group have been sold at over 200 events in 50+ countries, including the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice, France. Throughout her career, Shannon has applied the latest industry technologies for patternmaking, fitting, and design rendering, and has developed unique approaches to merge the realms of physical and digital design. Her design experience is only enhanced by her strong business acumen and deep understanding of global supply chains.
Lacie Thorne
Prior to residing in Hong Kong, Lacie Thorne lived in New York City, where she spent a decade in fashion design after attending Parsons School of Design. Lacie's professional design experience includes collaboration with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and Adam Levine on the development of their namesake clothing brands. Her designs have been featured in national television commercials, Good Morning America, a 12-page spread in Oprah Magazine and the covers of WWD and US Weekly. She has art directed & styled for clients including Van Cleef & Arpels, Shangri-La hotels, Style Magazine, Post Magazine, Alexandre de Paris, #Legend Magazine, Prestige Magazine, Marco Polo Hotels, Panerai Watches, Gibson Guitars, Watsons Pharmacy, Onkyo, jewelry brand Qeelin owned by international luxury group Kering, and others. Her editorial work features brands like Christian Dior, Burberry, Givenchy, Gucci, Lanvin, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, YSL, Fendi, Loewe, Bottega Veneta, Hermes, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, & Balenciaga. Lacie serves as the internship coordinator, and leads our Fashion Portfolio Development and Fashion Marketing classes in the O’More College.
http://www.laciethorne.com/