“The purpose of this collection was to use flat drafting techniques to create unique garments with silhouettes and colors inspired by the wire sculpturing work of artist Ruth Asawa. The pieces in this collection include metalwork elements that serve as a more direct reference to the Asawa sculptures. Because of the artistic leanings of this collection, these pieces would likely be custom-made and customized for the client and their purposes. The knit pieces in this collection were first flat drafted and then fitted to a dress form. The tulle layers were mathematically drafted and fit to the form to ensure correct proportions. The result is a garment that captures the semi-transparent nature of the works from which they are inspired. This collection is both inspired by Ruth Asawa and a celebration of the excellence she embodied. Similar to the women that helped to form Kansas State University as well as the program that is now known as Fashion Studies, Ruth Asawa was an inspiring person. In the early 1940s, she and her family were detained and placed in U.S. internment camps. Refusing to let this define her, she overcame racism and xenophobia to become what ARTnews refers to as “one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th-century.”

— Rebekah Hennesy