What would you do if you were handed a piece of alligator skin and told to make next year’s trendiest outfit? Erika Iiams, an instructor in the University of Idaho School of Family and Consumer Sciences, has the skills to get the job done.
Since Iiams was an undergrad, she has been a member of the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA). Each year, the ITAA holds a conference showcasing clothing designs submitted from participants across the globe. This year, Iiams’ design was selected for the second time as a finalist amongst the hundreds of applicants. She said only about 20 or 30 designs are chosen each year.
Two weeks ago, Iiams traveled down to New Orleans where the conference was held this year to present her design.
People from all over the world come to the ITAA conferences, Iiams said. For any designer, this event is a wonderful opportunity to make their work known.
“There are two categories you can enter your designs in,” Iiams said. “I entered mine in the fiber arts mounted exhibit, which is more like a museum exhibit.”
Iiams said in the mounted exhibit garments are displayed on dress forms. She said there is a live model exhibit where designs are worn by models and displayed in a live runway show.
Iiams said her finalist design was a hand knit skirt with hand dyed silk ribbons running through the knit stitches at the hem with some silk ribbon roses strategically ornamented on the skirt.
“I was kind of going with a sustainability theme, so a lot of the wool and cashmere that I used in the skirt was unwound from an old sweater,” Iiams said. “Then I backed the skirt with a vintage slip and I had some hand dyed antique lace that was trimming it out also.”
Iiams said her design was inspired by the Angelique Tulip and only took her a few days to complete.
“Tulips come up in the spring,” Iiams said. “In the spring, usually what we see are a lot of lightweight garments in retail, but spring in the Northwest is often times too cold for lightweight garments. That’s why I did a chunky wool skirt, only in spring colors. I dyed the wool into spring colors, so it was kind of like the warmth for Northwest springs.”
Finalists were given a piece of alligator skin to create their garment with for next year’s ITAA conference. Iiams said she has already started designing a bustier top with the alligator skin.
Inspiration comes in many forms — whether it is the beautiful Northwest or creating sustainable ways of living, nothing can stop the creative minds of artists from doing what they do best.
Ariana Tobe can be reached at [email protected]