Faculty, Claire Beevers, Textile Reproduction on Display at Michener Art Museum

A knitted textile reproduction by PhilaU faculty Claire Beevers, Director of M.S. in Textile Design program, is being featured by the Charles Sheeler exhibition at James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown.

After researching original six-color warp knit stripe patterns, Professor Beevers reproduced a weft knit jacquard fabric of a knitted dress from Sheeler’s textiles worn by one of his art dealers.

Knitted Textile reproduction by Claire Beevers

To see this remarkable work visit the “Charles Sheeler: Fashion, Photography and Sculptural Form”  which will run form March 18th to July 9th at the Michener Art Museum.

Design Expo At PhilaU

On Thurs. March 23rd, 2017,  Design Expo, an annual hiring event, was held at Philadelphia University. During the event our students had the opportunity to meet and interview with many well recognized textile design companies across the country for internship and career placements.

Students being interviewed by the companies during Design Expo.

How Microbatch Textiles Became the New Trend

Homeware fabric is being pushed to a new direction. In the past few years, several talented textile designers across America established their namesake companies by creating fabrics with a sense of handmade authenticity to them.

Rebecca Atwood, a painter and former industrial designer, began her textile company by dyeing shibori fabric for pillows in her own kitchen. Similarly Caroline Hurley, started her textile business when friends asked for block-printed textiles she made for art projects. 

It is believed that this emerging style has become a real textile trend. These special and unique fabrics are now streaming into several hotels, restaurants, shops and homes both edgy and upscale. Interior designer, Steve Gambrel, believes that the designs are more real. He states that the materials, textures and pallets are more peculiar, and they feel more real. With designers and customers seeking unique fabrics, these companies have flourished and they have set a new textile trend.

Eskayel Design Team, a boutique textile company in Brooklyn New York

To read the full article please visit: 

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/03/01/fashion/textiles-business-brooklyn-cool.html

A Brand New Day in the Fashion & Textiles Futures Center

The PhilaU Fashion & Textiles Futures Center was excited to welcome a brand new ITEMA jacquard loom to campus on Friday March 24th.  A small crowd gathered to witness the delivery from Italy.  Our wonderful weaving technician, Veniamin "Vienna" Matsuk, worked tirelessly with the riggers to insure the loom's safe delivery into the Textile Design Weaving Studio.  The new equipment will allow PhilaU Textile Designers to create very fine jacquard textiles for fashion. 

The loom arrives on the truck.

The dance of the synchronized fork lifts begin; with the loom suspended from above.

The dance continues as the fork lifts are repositioned for the trip into the building.

The loom enters the Textile Design Weaving Studio.

Vienna and the riggers work to position the equipment.

Our new loom safely inside the studio. 

Bekaert Deslee Presents Beautiful Textiles

Camilla Franklin and Megan Adams of textile industry leader Bekaert Deslee joined PhilaU Textile Design students on campus on Weds. March 22nd and Thursday March 23rd.  Designers Camilla and Meg presented their beautiful woven and knitted mattress fabrics to students in Jacquard/Advanced Jacquard.  They also shared their career paths and industry experiences with our students.  Meg is a PhilaU Textile Design alum (welcome back Meg!). 

On Thursday March 23rd, Camilla and Meg spent the full day participating in Design Expo, an annual hiring fair held on campus.  Thanks to Meg and Camilla for their great support, wonderful fabrics and lovely insights into the exciting field of textile design. 

Jacquard/Advanced Jacquard Midterm review

On March 1st, 2017, our students successfully finished their midterm review for the Jacquard/Advanced Jacquard class. The class is taught by Marcia Weiss, Director of the Fashion and Textile Futures Center. In this class our students learn the principles and equipment involved in the design and production of Jacquard fabrics. Students design and produce a collection of Jacquard fabrics, as well as collaborate with Fashion Design students to create fashions for garments.

Professors and students during the review

Textile Design Student, Taylor Salva, presenting her collection.

Louise Sandstroem presenting her designs. 

Regan Marriner tells the story of her collection.

Graduate Studio Midterm Critique

Textile Design graduate students presented their design work during the graduate studio midterm review. The graduate studio is an advanced level class where students create technical and creative projects in their chosen design concentration. Later in the semester, reviews of the students' work will lead to the selection of a final project.

Textile Design graduate student Alyssa Zebovitz presenting her design work.

Textile Design graduate student Emily Olsen presenting her woven designs.

Textile Design professors and students during the review 

Textile Design knit graduate student Drew McKevitt presenting her textiles.

Print Design Studio I Midterm Review

The Print Design Studio I class in Textile Design is taught by Professor Sylvie Shaffer. In this class students stylize observational drawings into textile-appropriate motifs with the understanding and application of stylistic characteristics of Toile de Jouy, Jacobean, and/or Paisley designs. Students successfully accomplished their midterm review by creating a print design collection consisting of five floral print designs.

Textile Design student, Sonya Borowsky, presenting her designs

Textile Design Prints of student Ben Jones

Textile Design students, Kelsey Adams (left), and Olivia Manning (right) with their textile print designs.

Textile Design student, Tajah Jones, presenting her designs 

Textile Design Prints of student Elena Garrido

Textile Design Capstone Critique

On Feb. 27th, 2017 our textile design capstone students successfully completed their midterm review, Professors Marcia Weiss, Claire Beevers and Jenn Biggs participated in the critique. They gave the students feedback on how to enhance their work and prepare for the final degree show in May.

Textile student, Jessica Thies, presenting her designs.

Professors and Students during the review 

Marcia Weiss and Jenn Biggs during the review.

Textile student, Taylor Salva, presenting her designs.

Textile student, Caroline Kern, presenting her designs.

Educators Open House

Textile Design at Philadelphia University is hosting an educators open house on March 21st, 2017. This event is a great opportunity to explore our program in depth, meet our wonderful students and faculty and form new connections with them.  Hope to see you there!  Please RSVP to Professor Jen Rhodes at rhodesj@philau.edu. 

Eastern High School visited Textile Design at PhilaU

The Eastern High School students (Voorhees, NJ) visited the Textile and Fashion Design departments at Philadelphia University. During their visit they had the opportunity to learn more about the Textile Design program by meeting textile design students, seeing their work and taking a tour with Marcia Weiss, Director of Fashion & Textile Future Center.

Eastern High School Students

Marcia Weiss, Director of Fashion & Textile Future Center, with Eastern High School Students

Textile Student, Alyssa Yanni showing her designs in the Textile Design Studio

Marcia Weiss explaining printing process of Textile Design

Marcia Weiss explaining knitting process on the Stoll domestic V-bed knitting machine

Portfolio Review

Our Junior level textile students had the opportunity to get their portfolios reviewed by both Marcia Weiss, Director of Fashion and Textile Future Center, and Claire Beevers, Program Coordinator M.S. in Textile Design and Associate Professor. During the review students received advice on both the content of their portfolios and their presentation techniques.

Portfolio review

Madeline Halsey presenting her portfolio pieces 

Work of Student Madeline Halsey

Marcia Weiss and Claire Beevers during the review

Jacquard Class Critique

Regina Burkholder, Adjunct Professor of Textile Design at Philadelphia University, teaches the Jacquard/Advanced Jacquard class. In this class the students learn EAT systems to program jacquard constructions.

Last week our students successfully accomplished their single cloth Critique.

Regina and students during the critique

Single cloth jacquard design of student Alison Ervin

Students during the single cloth critique

Single cloth jacquard design of student Morgan Jefferson

Single cloth jacquard design of student Jessica Thies