For my third Art in Motion design, I wanted to create a look that felt recognizably mine while belonging fully to the person wearing it. My friend Fatara will model a fitted waistcoat with matching trousers, combining classic tailoring with African print from her own fabric collection.

From the day I met Fatara at our local gym, I hoped I would eventually have the opportunity to design something for her. She has a strong, athletic build that I admire, and creating a tailored look for her offered a welcome challenge beyond designing for my own body.

I want the garments I create to feel like a genuine part of the person wearing them. Knowing that Fatara is Nigerian, I asked whether she would be comfortable incorporating an African print from her own collection. Her fabric brought her personal history and visual identity into the ensemble, while the waistcoat and trousers reflected my own design language. The result is not simply something I designed for her. It is a look shaped by both of us.

Fatara brought me three fabrics to consider. I immediately gravitated toward the bright blue-and-pink print. Another was tie-dyed, and the third combined vivid orange and brown tones. The blue-and-pink print ultimately won because its black details coordinated naturally with the heavyweight black stretch twill I had picked up from a swap table at my most recent sewing retreat.

PHOTO PLACEMENT  IMG_1525.jpeg
Suggested caption: Planning the bold African-print placement across the back of the waistcoat.
Placement note: Use as the first image in this article to introduce the print and its scale.

I wanted the trousers to remain primarily classic and tailored, using the African print as a controlled accent along the side seams and pocket. The waistcoat offered an opportunity for a more dramatic reveal.

I often place an unexpected detail on the back of a waistcoat - a bright color, an unusual fabric, or a bold print. In this case, I used both color and pattern. The print transforms the back without competing with the clean, fitted front.

I lined the waistcoat in a substantial bright orange satin. Its weight adds structure, while its color is unapologetically bold. The lining will not be visible while Fatara is wearing the waistcoat, but that is part of its appeal. I enjoy adding details that exist primarily for the wearer: a private surprise inside a carefully tailored garment.

I drafted both patterns from Fatara's measurements rather than beginning with a commercial pattern. Translating those measurements into garments that fit and move well required several fittings and repeated refinements. I am deeply grateful for her patience.

The waistcoat's main challenge was the princess-seam curve. I removed excess fabric near the armscye, gradually tapering the adjustment to nothing through the bust. This allowed the seam to follow Fatara's shape more closely without reducing the room she needed at the fullest point.

My first trouser draft used a three-piece method that begins with a fitted straight-skirt foundation, but this time I did not get that foundation right. With the runway deadline approaching, I changed course and used a traditional draft from Helen Joseph Armstrong's Patternmaking for Fashion Design. The next fitting required only small adjustments at the waistline. Recognizing when to change methods was as important as the drafting itself.

The final fittings, accessories, and styling are scheduled for next weekend. After that, all three looks will move from the fitting room to the runway.

Although the three designs are very different, each began with a distinctive fabric story, required me to adapt my process to another person's body, and contains a detail chosen specifically for the wearer. That combination of tailoring, personality, and thoughtful fabric use is what I hope connects the collection.

Art in Motion  A Runway for Creativity will take place on Friday, October 9, 2026, as part of Artspiration Frederick in Frederick, Maryland. The event combines a fashion competition, live auction, and fundraiser. Visit the Art in Motion event website for current information.