Meet Ciara Fortun, the designer behind Noelle Designs! She is one of Omaha Fashion Week’s emerging designers this season. She’s creating a collection inspired by the different struggles people go through and she hopes it will show that we are not alone in our different paths.
How did you get into fashion? Tell me a little about your background.
I've always had a knack for fashion and dressing up, but I saw a serious possibility to get into the industry through Omaha Fashion Camp in 2015. I come from a family of master tailors, seamstresses, and artists, so I've always been around the art of design and creativity.
Dried flower detailing on a sheer skirt
Describe your brand and the point of view you wish to convey. What category does your brand fall under?
Noelle Designs is an evening and formal wear brand that strives to make young women feel powerful and sophisticated.
What are your personal goals or goals for your brand?
My goal for this brand is to help young women - especially those in their teens - discover who they are in a world that craves uniformity.
Describe your favorite project or projects that you have worked on.
My favorite project apart from fashion has been working with a band called Judah and the Lion to design a t-shirt and tour poster for their fall 2017 tour. Otherwise, it has been experimenting with hand dying and embroidery for this collection.
Hand dyed fabric for the SS18 collection
Where do you look for inspiration?
Every collection I've designed has been pulled from different aspects of myself, and this one is no exception.
Describe some of the specific inspiration for your new collection.
This collection is inspired by stories, mental wars, and journal entries from me and other high school artists and creatives. Most of my ideas come to me in the late hours of the night and that brought a lot details, such as writing and embroidery, from introspection and hearing people's stories of struggle and different mental wars they deal with.
What kind of materials do you use?
For this collection I am using only satin and chiffon and focusing on hand dying and detailed structure.
Color inspiration for the SS18 collection
Is this collection a new approach for you or is it consistent throughout your work?
This collection is completely different from what I've done before. I think this season reflects my personal style the most, and has a more sincere connection. I'm hoping it conveys the message that everyone has their battles and, even if they're not the same for everyone, we're not alone.
To learn more about Ciara visit her website and follow along Instagram to get a behind the scenes look at her collection!