Picture: BERNINA SUPPORTS FUTURE FASHION DESIGNERS FROM KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

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BERNINA SUPPORTS FUTURE FASHION DESIGNERS FROM KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

As part of a continued effort to inspire future fashion designers, BERNINA of America and Sewing Republic co-sponsored the second annual Coats & Clark Design Challenge at Kent State University Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design. With only five yards of cotton quilting fabric and four yards of random trim, 30 students were given 18 hours to conceptualize and create fashion.

The Coats & Clark Design Challenge is a “Project Runway”-type of competition designed to test students’ resourcefulness and creativity, as they vied for a selection of prizes including scholarship money.

Among the winners is Kent State University senior, Kristy Howard, for Most Creative Use of Stitching and Trim. She won a BERNINA activa 220 sewing machine provided by BERNINA Dealer, Barnes Sewing Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a beautiful BERNINA collector’s book, and a 50-spool collection of Coats & Clark Dual Duty XP all-purpose thread.

Kristy transformed Brandon Mably’s Ripple fabric into an artistic, summery dress with a skirt woven with right and wrong side fabric strips. The bodice was embellished with free motion stitching and yarn accents. Adding the finishing touch was the belt woven with Rowan yarns and beaded trim from Wrights. Kristy also won the People’s Choice Award, selected as the audience’s favorite.

“Kristy Howard embodies the fashion design creativity for which BERNINA machines are precisely engineered,” said Martin Favre, president of BERNINA of America. “We look forward to seeing the fashion she’ll create on her new BERNINA activa 220 and plan to feature her work on www.SewingRepublic.com so that it can inspire other future designers.”

About BERNINA

Founded in Switzerland more than 100 years ago, BERNINA is the world’s premier manufacturer with a proven reputation for offering state-of-the-art sewing and embroidery systems, sergers and embroidery software. BERNINA’s leadership is marked by an impressive number of industry leaders, influencers and artisans who chose to partner with the company. BERNINA products are sold in the United States through a network of approximately 500 fully trained dealerships. In 2008, the company introduced the revolutionary BERNINA 830 , a machine designed to change the home sewing industry. To learn more and to find a dealer, visit www.berninausa.com or call +1-630-978 25 00.