Once described as “cyber meets bohemian,” Rachel Sherman '99's work embodies a fusion of vibrant energy and craft tradition. Her label, Malagueta, bridges traditional craft and experimental technique, drawing from a lifelong fascination with global folk textiles. Working with a sewing machine since the age of thirteen but never formally trained, she learned by breaking the rules—and sometimes nearly breaking the machine—in pursuit of new forms of expression.
Sherman’s lively interpretations of color, pattern, texture, and shape pay homage to nature, world cultures and the female body. Her vibrant, modern and easy-to-wear garments first appeared in independent boutiques in Seattle, later finding homes in Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tucson, Miami, Nashville, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston—where “funky and feminine” resonated with a diverse clientele.
In Repetition Compulsion, Sherman presents both garments and circular canvases that showcase her range of surface manipulation techniques. The title references a psychological phenomenon in which an individual unconsciously repeats past experiences in an attempt to gain mastery over them. For Sherman, however, repetition is an act of pleasure and exploration. Each stitch becomes a meditation, each pattern a celebration of the tactile beauty of fabric in all its forms. On view in the Alumni Gallery November 22 – January 17, 2025.
About the Artist
After receiving her BFA in Textile Design from Moore College of Art & Design, Rachel Sherman traded in her East Coast lifestyle for a stint in Seattle. It was there, in 2002, that she launched her label “Malagueta”, based on sustainability practices and improvised surface manipulation techniques such as applique, couching, shirring, top-stitching, ruching, embroidery, piecing, and pin-tucking. Her inspiration: foliage, architecture, fruits, vegetables, insects, and machinery.
Malagueta, in Portuguese, is known as a tiny, hot red pepper that grows in Brazil, where her mother was born and where Rachel has visited and sought inspiration throughout her life. Presently, based in Pennsylvania, Rachel has reestablished herself on the handmade scene through a variety of high-end craft and indie shows such as Crafty Bastards (DC & Nashville TN), Handmade Arcade (Pittsburgh, PA), Crafty Wonderland (Portland, OR), Urban Craft Uprising (Seattle, WA), American Craft Council Shows (Baltmore, MD & St. Paul, MN), PMA Contemporary Craft Show (Philadelphia, PA), CRAFT + DESIGN (Richmond, VA), Cherry Creek Arts Festival (Denver, CO) and Smithsonian Craft2Wear (Washington, DC).
Photo Credit: Johanna Austin
