![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100315\/image4-1-edited.jpeg\")
The desire to learn more technical skills and take her size-inclusive designs to the next level led Nease back to UNC Greensboro, where she earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in consumer, apparel, and retail Studies; to a prestigious internship in Nashville; and, finally, to the Wilson College of Textiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are so many resources at the Wilson College in terms of both technology and knowledge,\u201d Nease says, adding that even supplying students with the materials to support their plus-size designs has been heartening. \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of support from the faculty and administration in doing this work, too, which is very encouraging.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Honing her craft<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSince starting at the Wilson College last fall, Nease has found new ways to explore her own design aesthetic, which she describes as \u201csubverting Americana,\u201d in more conceptual ways. She often takes inspiration from her internship with Manuel Cuevas<\/a>, who has designed for such icons as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Lady Gaga, in Nashville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s one of the people that developed our modern sensibility of what makes Western wear,\u201d she says. \u201cI like bringing my own cultural identity to Western wear and adding a feminist, alternative slant to it. I feel like it\u2019s important to show respect for our roots and our history while bringing in a new point of view.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100315\/image2-1-1024x768.jpeg\")
Mary Nease (center) with country legend Marty Stuart and designer Manuel Cuevas. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nNease keeps that goal central to much of the work she does. In her apparel production class last semester, Nease designed a denim jacket and matching skirt (shown in feature photo) <\/strong>that each blend traditional quilting techniques, like those passed down in her family, with more modern aesthetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cI like taking traditional shapes and styles, but modernizing them in different ways,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Redefining tradition <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nHer commitment to challenging tradition with a new point of view extends beyond her own work. When the existing plus-size dress forms were broken, Nease successfully campaigned her undergraduate program for new ones. She often volunteered to model in student fashion shows and magazine spreads so that there would be at least one plus-size model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard of students going through other design schools without ever making anything larger than a size six,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nease wants to change that. Last fall, she won a 2022 VF Student Award<\/a>, a $5,000 fellowship intended to support graduate students in their research goals and provide them with professional development opportunities. For her project, Nease will create more standardized instruction guides using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to help teach students how to develop patterns for women sizes 14 and up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100315\/IMG_9109-1024x576.jpg\")
Mary Nease works on her next project in the Wilson College of Textiles’ fashion studio. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019m trying to create some resources that bridge the gap between the straight-size instruction and the plus-size instruction,\u201d Nease says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This research, and the support from her professors, has even led her to consider switching to the Master of Science in Textiles<\/a> program so that she can complete a thesis on the topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLongterm, Nease plans to work in plus-size design for a large company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of positive change [in the industry] that has been really encouraging, but I think there\u2019s a lot more that can be done and companies would benefit from having someone who has been designing and fitting for large bodies their whole life,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until then, Nease intends to leave a lasting impact on the college, especially for students who want to create plus-size designs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo matter what kind of work I personally do, I want to create resources for other people to keep doing that work, too,\u201d Nease says. \u201cIt\u2019s a priority for me to make things better for the people that come after me.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n
By Meredith Jeffers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Mary Nease, learning to sew was both a necessity and a lifeline. She\u2019d been studying to be a history teacher at Elon University before withdrawing due to health issues. Sewing became her outlet \u2013 and sparked a love of plus-size fashion design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy mom taught me how to use a sewing machine and my grandma taught me how to read a pattern, but everything else I taught myself with online sewing blogs and sewing books,\u201d Nease, a student in the Master of Textiles<\/a> program, says. \u201cI developed a pretty advanced construction skillset, but it\u2019s a little more difficult to teach yourself draping and drafting, especially if you don\u2019t have the appropriate resources.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nNease helped with the garment construction of this shirt during her internship with Manuel Cuevas. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe desire to learn more technical skills and take her size-inclusive designs to the next level led Nease back to UNC Greensboro, where she earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in consumer, apparel, and retail Studies; to a prestigious internship in Nashville; and, finally, to the Wilson College of Textiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are so many resources at the Wilson College in terms of both technology and knowledge,\u201d Nease says, adding that even supplying students with the materials to support their plus-size designs has been heartening. \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of support from the faculty and administration in doing this work, too, which is very encouraging.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Honing her craft<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSince starting at the Wilson College last fall, Nease has found new ways to explore her own design aesthetic, which she describes as \u201csubverting Americana,\u201d in more conceptual ways. She often takes inspiration from her internship with Manuel Cuevas<\/a>, who has designed for such icons as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Lady Gaga, in Nashville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s one of the people that developed our modern sensibility of what makes Western wear,\u201d she says. \u201cI like bringing my own cultural identity to Western wear and adding a feminist, alternative slant to it. I feel like it\u2019s important to show respect for our roots and our history while bringing in a new point of view.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\nMary Nease (center) with country legend Marty Stuart and designer Manuel Cuevas. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nNease keeps that goal central to much of the work she does. In her apparel production class last semester, Nease designed a denim jacket and matching skirt (shown in feature photo) <\/strong>that each blend traditional quilting techniques, like those passed down in her family, with more modern aesthetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cI like taking traditional shapes and styles, but modernizing them in different ways,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Redefining tradition <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nHer commitment to challenging tradition with a new point of view extends beyond her own work. When the existing plus-size dress forms were broken, Nease successfully campaigned her undergraduate program for new ones. She often volunteered to model in student fashion shows and magazine spreads so that there would be at least one plus-size model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve heard of students going through other design schools without ever making anything larger than a size six,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of the people that developed our modern sensibility of what makes Western wear,\u201d she says. \u201cI like bringing my own cultural identity to Western wear and adding a feminist, alternative slant to it. I feel like it\u2019s important to show respect for our roots and our history while bringing in a new point of view.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nease keeps that goal central to much of the work she does. In her apparel production class last semester, Nease designed a denim jacket and matching skirt (shown in feature photo) <\/strong>that each blend traditional quilting techniques, like those passed down in her family, with more modern aesthetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI like taking traditional shapes and styles, but modernizing them in different ways,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her commitment to challenging tradition with a new point of view extends beyond her own work. When the existing plus-size dress forms were broken, Nease successfully campaigned her undergraduate program for new ones. She often volunteered to model in student fashion shows and magazine spreads so that there would be at least one plus-size model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard of students going through other design schools without ever making anything larger than a size six,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nease wants to change that. Last fall, she won a 2022 VF Student Award<\/a>, a $5,000 fellowship intended to support graduate students in their research goals and provide them with professional development opportunities. For her project, Nease will create more standardized instruction guides using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to help teach students how to develop patterns for women sizes 14 and up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m trying to create some resources that bridge the gap between the straight-size instruction and the plus-size instruction,\u201d Nease says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This research, and the support from her professors, has even led her to consider switching to the Master of Science in Textiles<\/a> program so that she can complete a thesis on the topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Longterm, Nease plans to work in plus-size design for a large company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of positive change [in the industry] that has been really encouraging, but I think there\u2019s a lot more that can be done and companies would benefit from having someone who has been designing and fitting for large bodies their whole life,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Until then, Nease intends to leave a lasting impact on the college, especially for students who want to create plus-size designs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo matter what kind of work I personally do, I want to create resources for other people to keep doing that work, too,\u201d Nease says. \u201cIt\u2019s a priority for me to make things better for the people that come after me.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n By Meredith Jeffers<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Mary Nease, learning to sew was both a necessity and a lifeline. She\u2019d been studying to be a history teacher at Elon University before withdrawing due to health issues. Sewing became her outlet \u2013 and sparked a love of plus-size fashion design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy mom taught me how to use a sewing machine and my grandma taught me how to read a pattern, but everything else I taught myself with online sewing blogs and sewing books,\u201d Nease, a student in the Master of Textiles<\/a> program, says. \u201cI developed a pretty advanced construction skillset, but it\u2019s a little more difficult to teach yourself draping and drafting, especially if you don\u2019t have the appropriate resources.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The desire to learn more technical skills and take her size-inclusive designs to the next level led Nease back to UNC Greensboro, where she earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in consumer, apparel, and retail Studies; to a prestigious internship in Nashville; and, finally, to the Wilson College of Textiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are so many resources at the Wilson College in terms of both technology and knowledge,\u201d Nease says, adding that even supplying students with the materials to support their plus-size designs has been heartening. \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of support from the faculty and administration in doing this work, too, which is very encouraging.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since starting at the Wilson College last fall, Nease has found new ways to explore her own design aesthetic, which she describes as \u201csubverting Americana,\u201d in more conceptual ways. She often takes inspiration from her internship with Manuel Cuevas<\/a>, who has designed for such icons as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Lady Gaga, in Nashville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe\u2019s one of the people that developed our modern sensibility of what makes Western wear,\u201d she says. \u201cI like bringing my own cultural identity to Western wear and adding a feminist, alternative slant to it. I feel like it\u2019s important to show respect for our roots and our history while bringing in a new point of view.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nease keeps that goal central to much of the work she does. In her apparel production class last semester, Nease designed a denim jacket and matching skirt (shown in feature photo) <\/strong>that each blend traditional quilting techniques, like those passed down in her family, with more modern aesthetics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI like taking traditional shapes and styles, but modernizing them in different ways,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her commitment to challenging tradition with a new point of view extends beyond her own work. When the existing plus-size dress forms were broken, Nease successfully campaigned her undergraduate program for new ones. She often volunteered to model in student fashion shows and magazine spreads so that there would be at least one plus-size model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard of students going through other design schools without ever making anything larger than a size six,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\nRedefining tradition <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Honing her craft<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Redefining tradition <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n