UA UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH & CREATIVE ACTIVITY CONFERENCE
2015

* Third Place / Humanities

le ART de la MODE
Art & Fashion Design Battle
(poster presentation)

Amber D. Brown
Shaquita Chapman
Elle Darby
Caroline Fruedenberg
Brttany Hope
Bridgette Jones
Courtney King
Gianni Martin
Lindsey Mortensen
Bria Robinson
Laquoya Robinson
Parker Williams
Fashion Design  & Fashion Retailing (Class of 2015)

Dr. Marcy L. Koontz, Faculty Advisor

Through experiential learning opportunities, students are able to engage in their passions, sharpen their skill sets, expand their knowledge and understanding, and broaden their perspectives. “Learning by doing and reflecting” is an inductive process based in theory which allows students to actively engage in experiences outside the classroom and the academic setting.

This poster presentation focuses on le Art de la Mode, an experiential learning opportunity that occurred on 21 November 2014 in Downtown Tuscaloosa in conjunction with UA’s Homecoming 2014, and sponsored by Downtown TTown. This art & fashion design battle consisted of six teams, an apparel design student, a local artist and a fashion retailing student, that were partnered with a food/beverage business in Downtown Tuscaloosa.

The art & fashion design battle began at 10:00 AM in front of Tuscaloosa City Hall from which the teams raced to their respective business. Teams were tasked with creating an inspired look based on the brand identity of the business on 18” wooden mannequins by 5:00 PM. For eight hours, the role of the fashion retail student was that of social media storyteller using the battle’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, and Pinterest accounts. The battle ended at 5:00 PM and the mannequins were transported to Grace Aberdean HABITAT ALCEHEMY to be judged by a panel of local professionals. This experience culminated in the creation of a print book featuring photographs of each of the mannequins and select images from the social media story.