Inspired to tell an environmental story, Fashion Design senior Willow Gehman’26 created a thesis collection about the degradation of the Magdalena River in Colombia. One of the pieces, a look evoking water and algae, was chosen as the promotional image for Moore’s 2026 Fashion Show.
Each year, Fashion Design seniors create thesis collections for the annual Fashion Show. One look from one student’s collection is chosen to be featured in promotional materials for the event.
Gehman is a Visionary Honors Scholar, a transfer student and a resident assistant at Moore. She’s also a three-time fellowship winner who used her awards to pursue an internship at Spirit Halloween, attend the Future Fabrics Expo in London and travel to Paris as part of Moore’s study abroad program.
Gehman’s achievements also extend beyond the College. In 2025, she placed second in the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ (AATCC) Concept 2 Consumer Student Competition with her plant-inspired Ode to the Paw-paw apparel designs. She continues to demonstrate a passion for the environment and sustainable fashion through the vision and technique behind her senior collection, Overgrowth. We sat down with Gehman to learn more about her work and her time at Moore.
Join us on May 7 at The Franklin Institute as our Fashion Design seniors debut their final collections at Moore. Online ticket sales are closed, but you can still purchase tickets at the door at 7 pm.
What does it mean to you to have your work represent this year’s Fashion Show?
It means so much to me! An opportunity like this puts my designs on a pedestal for the public and the Fashion Show Honorary Committee. It gives my voice a chance to be heard.
My work is ecological, and I feel like these types of stories often get overshadowed because they’re not as emotional. My name is Willow, so I’m an ecological person and this work is emotional to me. It gives me so much pride to know that my work is being recognized, and that the long hours and effort that I put into these garments are being recognized as well.
What themes or ideas were you most interested in exploring for your senior collection? How did you translate your concepts into wearable pieces?
I wanted to play with the idea of balance in nature. I’m a twin, so I’ve spent a lot of my life comparing. Through this comparison, I developed the belief that everything in the world has balance. My sister and I are complete opposites, so I wanted to find a way to show that through the degradation of the river balanced out by the beauty of the algae.
I also knew that I wanted to do something around hippos and their effect on Colombia’s environment as an invasive species. They’ve been my favorite animal since I was little, and an intense focus of mine since I read about how they influence the tourism and trade of the river. I’ve been saving this idea for a while, and when I decided to tell an environmental story for this collection, I thought it fit right in.
Translating these ideas into my garments began with creating organic shapes out of synthetic materials. I was fighting the nature of the fabrics because my thesis is about that tension. A lot of the work included burning chiffon, intense pleating and a lot of dyeing. I wanted to create gradients that mimic the water and algae on the surface of the water. I also used fishing line to create a wavy hem so everything feels soft.
How has your education at Moore prepared you to design at the professional level?
The collaboration and critique I experienced at Moore taught me to have confidence in my designs, but also be open to feedback. Feedback is what makes us all grow.
The small class sizes fostered relationships that made me and my classmates feel like co-workers. That really helped me figure out who I am as a designer. It also showed me that when I’m giving feedback on someone else’s work, it’s not necessarily the “right” answer—it’s just my perspective. Everyone else is doing the same for me, too.
How has the Moore community supported your growth and success?
The fellowships and financial awards I received were huge for me. They will really help me get a footing in fashion and find opportunities on the East Coast.
The Locks Career Center really supported me in my fellowship applications, which was wonderful. Outside of those merit-based awards, my work as an RA showed me how I can help other students and how leadership provided that same aid for me, too.
What kind of impact do you hope to make as a designer after graduation?
I hope to educate people on sustainability and fashion. I want to build interest in the stories I want to tell, and then tell them through sustainable methods.
I want to move into the industry with a sustainable spirit, even if I’m working in mass market or at large corporations. I want to make fashion more sustainable, no matter where I end up.
About Moore College of Art & Design
Moore College of Art & Design prepares students for successful, high-impact careers. Our dynamic programs and uniquely inclusive environment foster creative excellence and amplify artistic potential, preparing our graduates to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of art and design. For more information about Moore, visit www.moore.edu and follow us on social media @moorecollegeart.
Want to learn more about our campus and majors? Contact our Admissions team at enroll@moore.edu or 215.965.4015 to set up a call or a campus visit. We’d love to tell you more!
Photo: Emily Morton Photography
