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

https://www.debedohrerdesign.com/

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

https://www.aubreyhyde.com/

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.