Kent State University senior fashion design major Jillian Miranda won three prestigious awards at tradeshow organizer Outdoor Retailer’s signature design competition, Project OR- Cycle 10.
Miranda was selected, along with four other students nationally, to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the competition from Jan. 23 through Jan. 26. She placed first in the design concept and second in the produced prototype section.
“We had 72 hours to design and create,” says Miranda. “I stayed up the whole time, but it was amazing.”
Miranda and the other competitors had to create a back country jacket and a headpiece. Miranda created a jacket with a water hydration system included in it, as well as a beanie that served as a fashionable helmet.
“My main design interests are creating practical clothing,” says Miranda. “I like to fuse pieces together so they serve a purpose but also look like normal clothing.”
Miranda says she and the other competitors were able to meet with people in the industry and network at the beginning of the competition.
“It was absolutely amazing,” she says. “I was actually able to meet and exchange information with people in my industry. It is usually not like that at a competition. I was even given free fabric for my senior collection.”
Miranda also won the viewers’ choice award. She says judges and guests of the competition chose their favorite designs from the entire competition floor.
“It was awesome to have consumers who will actually buy my products pick my collection as their favorite,” Miranda says.
Click here to read the e-Inside story about Miranda participating in the Outdoor Retailer’s signature design competition.
For more information about the competition, visit www.outdoorretailer.com/winter-market/events-seminars/projector-bios-20….