KENT, OH – The 鶹ӰԺ Museum announces the opening of “Pathfinders: 鶹ӰԺ School of Fashion Alumni,” featuring Jules Acree, Deanna First, Keäma Garrett, Joshua Hupper, Miyako Nakamura, and Anne Skoch. On view June 24, 2022 through May 28, 2023, the exhibition brings together recent work from these six alumni of the 鶹ӰԺ State School of Fashion, each of whom are defining their own pathways amidst the everchanging industry of fashion, social media and design.
Every alum in the exhibition has at least 6 years of experience beyond graduation, and they represent diverse approaches to fashion, product design, branding, and social media. Their experiences reveal a rich array of experiments, trials, multiple jobs, and networking, all underpinned by hard work and determination. While their pathways are unique, there are shared qualities and strategies in the stories of each designer. One of the most significant connectors across the group is their impulse to build community and partnerships that transcend a purely transactional relationship with their clients.
Fashion designers, Keäma Garrett, Joshua Hupper, and Miyako Nakamura each design very different styles for very different clients. Garrett’s bold garments empower the women who wear her clothes, especially Black women. Miyako Nakamura is Co-Founder of MMLaFleur, a ready to wear line of clothing designed for working women. Joshua Hupper along with his creative partner, Qiaoran Huang of BabyGhost, creates cutting edge, streetwear for cool kids in Shanghai, China. In fact, due to the pandemic lockdowns, Hupper was unable to send his garments and so his designs are represented on a monitor in the gallery. Jules Acree is a lifestyle coach and blogger, Deanna First is a fashion illustrator known for her live sketching events, and Anne Skoch is based in Cleveland where her company Anne Cate produces responsibly sourced, small batch bags featuring skylines of cities from around the globe.
In the Museum store, there are always items by current students and alumni. In honor of this exhibition the store will be highlighting jewelry by KSU alum Rhea Kulcsar of RKNYC, and the “Nefertiti Bags” designed by Keäma Garrett.
“Pathfinders” is made possible by the generous support of Dr. Linda L. McDonald and the Ohio Arts Council.
鶹ӰԺ the 鶹ӰԺ Museum
The 鶹ӰԺ Museum is located at 515 Hilltop Drive, at the corner of East Main Street and South Lincoln Street in 鶹ӰԺ, Ohio. It features more than 29,000 pieces in its collection, amassed from many generous donors. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon - 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in person at the museum or in advance through the museum’s . At this time, masks are optional and a personal choice for Museum visitors.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children ages 5 to 17. The museum is free for children under 5 and for those with a 鶹ӰԺ State ID. Sunday admission is free for all ages. Parking is free for all museum attendees. Patrons should use the allotted museum spaces in the Rockwell Hall parking lot. For more information, please call 330-672-3450 or visit www.kent.edu/museum.
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Media Contact:
Anna Mates, amates@kent.edu