Michaela poses with her American Heart Association Red Dress Project
Hello Everyone!
I’m Michaela Day, a senior Fashion Design student and new Collection Intern at the Thomas Jefferson University Design Center. I fell in love with the Design Center collection when I took my History of Costume and Textiles course my sophomore year. Eager to learn more about costume history and preservation, I sought out a position at the Design Center.
My first project was updating the purse collection in the Textiles & Costume database. Each object is assigned an accession number and a location within the Design Center. We use this information to help keep track of the collection and have it ready when it’s time for an object visit. When documenting all the purses, I take time to appreciate its beauty and story. My favorite bags were ones that looked like a tapestry fabric but when you looked closely, you can see it was all beads knitted together!
Beaded purse, c. 1920, T&CC 1991.3a,b 
Beaded purse, early 20th c., T&CC 1988.2.2 
More bags and purses!
Outside of working at the Design Center, I am a Resident Assistant Manager for my area of campus. I am also Treasurer/Event Coordinator for Designers Supporting Designers, a new club on campus building a stronger community for fashion design and beyond. And of course, I am working on my senior fashion collection. With such a busy schedule, the Design Center is my way of recharging. Being surrounded by fashion history inspires me and lifts my spirits when I feel drained.
In the future, I hope to become a full-time fashion designer. Working at the Design Center helps me work towards this goal by enhancing my research skills and familiarizing myself in costume and textile history on a meaningful level. A good sense of history as a fashion designer can help me stand out in the job market. I hope to do more research and documentation at the Design Center. Stay tuned for my future projects!
View Michaela’s portfolio at www.behance.net/michaeladay
