"Every Friday afternoon I gather up an armful or two of useful doodads and random tidbits and take my happy butt to a little glass front space at 33rd and Leavenworth. There is a brightly painted concrete planter in the front that stands out against the concrete, brick, and glass of the block and every time I pass it I think I need to make one for myself, but inevitably forget as soon as I get home. Sometimes you can hear a boxing class next door, see a few friendly strangers smoking outside of the VFW across the street, or see any number of neighborhood folks waiting at the bus stop next to the planter." Read more about Buf's mentor experience.
Katie, winner of the Designer Showcase II, is a graduate student at Iowa State University. Thompson will be graduating with her Masters in May of 2016. The Iowa State student is currently focused on textile design with a specialization in digital textile printing. The OFW alum found that from narrowing her focus to textile design rather than the broad topic of fashion design it allowed her to figure out what direction to take in her future career goals. Katie hopes to get a job in textile printing or textile design with a company stationed on the coast. "I prefer to move around quite a bit so in 10 years I see myself in a different city at a new job, I have no idea what it may be.", says Thompson.
Kate Walz
Sydney Moore began sewing at the young age of eight with her grandmother Kathy. The 12 year old had always received a lot of support from her family and friends, when it came to sewing and designing. Last summer Sydney joined us for 
As a child Grace Neary drew designs much like she does today but at the time she believed if she took them to the department store they could magically make them for her. Eventually she learned to sew her designs her self with the help of grandmother and her trusty Vogue Sewing Book. The high schooler is inspired by much of the designs from the the 60's and the time of change. As Grace was designing this line she was going through a time of change of her own. The loss of her grandfather played a major role in her designs and can not wait to honor him with her line on Student Night.
