Hello all!
My name is Mekhi Granby and I’m a junior at Thomas Jefferson University in East Falls. As a freshman, I majored in Fashion Design but have since switched to Fashion Merchandising & Management. I began working at the Design Center as a Collection Intern in the Fall semester of my sophomore year. I was initially introduced to the Design Center through the History of Textiles & Costumes course, a multi-faceted survey of textiles and costumes from ancient cultures to the present.
Since then, I’ve been working on several noteworthy projects enhancing my research skills in addition to learning how to care for and preserve many historic artifacts from the Textile and Costume Collection. My most significant contribution relates to a project focused on upgrading the preservation of the ornamental hair combs housed in the Collection. I created custom mounts for each of the unique combs to improve the quality of storage support.
Outside of school and work-study, I spend most of my time painting, writing, and listening to music. Combining my love for fashion (specifically streetwear) and art, I customize sneakers using leather acrylic paint. This hobby-turned-business is something I began pursuing in 2016. I started painting my sneakers to expand my sneaker collection as an alternative to buying more pairs because I couldn’t afford them.
Being hands-on with the Textile and Costume Collection is an opportunity that I feel tremendously grateful for. The position aligns with my current passions and future career as a global brand strategist. From start to finish, the projects at the Design Center have taught me many new things. The tasks that I enjoy the most connect to manual skills and research. In the near future, I plan on showcasing the work I’ve done with the combs here on the Follow The Thread blog!
