WELCOME

Autumn Kapka’s Porfolio

• About Autumn

• Resume

• Conceptual Design Inspired by Dress History

• Polish Museum of America Experience

• Adobe Photoshop/ Illustrator Experience

• New to You/ Social Responsibility Experience

• Contact Information

• Thank You

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I was drawn to fashion design at the young age of 9, and by

age 10 I was given my first sewing machine. Initially, I

was a political science major, but then I was encouraged by

my family and friends to pursue fashion design at

Dominican University. During my time at Dominican

University, I was able to intern at the Polish Museum

of America as the costume/textile archivist. The internship helped me realize

that I wanted to pursue costume and textile

preservation, research and cataloging as a future career. I

would like to continue designing conceptual fashion pieces, costume designing for theater and start up my own business selling my designs

and quirky handbags.

ABOUT AUTUMN

KAPKA, AUTUMN

Chicago, IL | Autumnkapka@gmail.com

SUMMARY

I have a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in apparel design; with an emphasis on costume design, fashion development, wearable artwork and the history of historical costume.

HIGHLIGHTS/SKILLS

Languages

· Garment Fittings

· Fashion Sketching

· Extensive fabric knowledge

· Care and handling of vintage periodicals

· Care and handling of vintage garments/ costume

· Sewing by both hand and machine.

EXPERIENCE

07/2009- 11/2012 Temp- Keyholder, Hot Topic

· Working directly with the customers, fashion styling and managerial work. Two time winner of district employee of the month.

10/2008- 9/2014 Shop Assistant/Shampoo Girl, Today’s Hair

· Communicating with the customers, washing hair, assisting the stylists

· with their clients and also being the receptionist for the salon.

01/2013-04/2015 Keyholder, Payless Shoesource

Working directly with the customers, opening and closing the store. I am the

· manager on duty when the manager and assistant manager are not working.

09/2014- current Cashier/ Customer Service Whole Foods

Working directly with the customers, cashier, customer service.

·

01/2014-03/2014 Assistant Costume Designer Dominican University

I volunteed between 3-6 hours a week in the University costume shop. I have volunteered at non-profit resale

· shops as a part of community based learning at Dominican University

INSPIRATION

The garment was inspired by the

design concepts and details of the

Victorian era. During the design

process, ample research on the

dress history of the Victorian Era

esthetic was key in making design

decisions. The leg-o- mutton

sleeve was the style of the era.

The garment was contemporized

by creating a spandex body suit, in

which the model just steps into.

The sleeves were made of

brocade and patterned as they

were from the Victorian era.

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN INSPIRED BY

DRESS HISTORY

The history of dress and

researching fashion styles/

silhouettes of the past gives

inspiration for contemporary

garments. Designing is an ever

changing and evolving process

that constantly recycles

fashion from the past. The

garment shown was inspired

by the Gilded Age in America,

1910-1912; the Titanic Era.

Prior to the design process,

research on the era was done.

This was essential in really

honing in on the silhouette,

fabrics, textures and

beadwork. After the research,

the garment was designed in a

contemporary fashion.

. The garment titled “Harlow”

used the same fabrics: crushed

velvet and lace. The beading and

lace was hand sewn onto the

garment. The history of dress

was essential in created the

garment, having knowledge of

fashion history helps in

designing a historically accurate

piece, whilst creating a

contemporary piece.

Over the summer I was given the wonderful opportunity of a life time to intern at the Polish Museum of America. The internship involved archiving and cataloging the textiles and the costume collection. I was given a set of keys to the costume room, becoming my sanctuary. I was given full responsibility of who and what goes in the costume room, as well as completely reorganizing the room and sending objects that did not belong in there to the other archives of the museum. During this journey, I found my true passion of what I would love to pursue in my career; which would be to catalogue, research and archive costume collections.

HIDDEN GEMS

WWII Polish Military Jacket that I cataloged and curated for an exhibit

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR AND

COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN

Adobe is a universal tool in multiple industries, especially in

the fashion industry. Having a background in photoshop,

illustrator and CAD programs is pertinent to taking

inspiration from something, and creating it into a pattern on

photoshop. From there, a designer can print the fabric directly

onto a garment pattern generated on CAD. Utilizing these

tools can make designing more efficient and more creative.

Second hand clothing and shopping at thrift shops has become the trendy thing to

do in recent times. Many people, especially college students it seems, tend to shop

at thrift shops more than regular retail stores. People go in search of finding that

“diamond in the rough” or “hidden gem” so to say. However, the thrift shop and

resale shop industry is not about being the trendy up and coming thing to do, it

has a deeper meaning. At New to You Upscale Resale shop there is an overall

message and motive to what their thrift shop is all about. New to You offers top

quality second hand clothing at affordable prices so that people who do not have

the money can still keep up with all the latest fashion trends. New to You offers

more than clothing; including housewares, kitchen items, books, furniture, toys

and other odds and ends at the same affordable prices. New to You is a non-profit

organization that is run by only one paid employee Colette and everyone else that

volunteers. New to You’s drive is through giving back to the community. Their

communities are the four Christian schools that all their proceeds from the resale

shop go to.. However, at the end of the experience I was extremely happy with

having volunteered to help this great resale shop attain their goals.

My first task was to organize the toys on the sales floor, then sort the

toys in the back and price them. I worked the sales floor for a while, and then I

sorted clothing, steamed them and hung them up on the racks. There was not one

minute where we were just sitting around, Colette and the volunteers expected us

to work just like everyone else who had been doing this for years, once again I

admired that about the team. Walking away from the experience felt amazing and I

changed my opinion about resale shops. This experience opened my eyes to the

importance of second hand clothing, because I know from personal experience

how important it was to me to have something to wear as a child. If it was not for

second hand stores, I would not have had the life I had as a little girl. Working at

New to You helped to change my perspective and to appreciate second hand

clothing because it helps impoverished families be able to live normal lives and to

help make money tight situations tolerable. I will donate all my unused clothing

from now on, and will tell others to do so as well.

autumnkapka@gmail.com

CONTACT

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME