Before joining Moore College of Art & Design's Fashion Design faculty in 2023, Morgan Porter spent years honing her craft as a freelance costume technician, leaving her mark on the Philadelphia theater scene. She worked with companies like Opera Philadelphia, The Walnut Street Theatre, and Villanova Theatre, bringing costumes to life that would eventually shine on stage. Using her knowledge of her field, she also led workshops with high school age students, providing hands-on experience in the world of costume design.
In the fall of 2023, Morgan transitioned to teaching in Moore’s Fashion Design department, where she guides juniors through the intricacies of apparel design. Porter fosters an environment where teamwork and peer feedback are as integral as technical skills, preparing her students for the collaborative world they’ll enter after graduation.
Read on to learn more about Morgan!
What’s your earliest memory of being creative or knowing that you wanted to do something creative with your life?
I was always a very creative kid. My favorite spot growing up was the Michaels craft aisle, but after I conquered the whole aisle, I got involved in fiber crafts like knitting and crocheting. I got my first sewing machine by the time I was 10 years old, so I also started sewing and working with commercial patterns.
I’ve always enjoyed the tactile side of things. As a child, I never thought I was creative because I wasn’t great at illustration or painting. To have my creativity come to life from textiles and hand-eye making was really special. By the time I was in high school, I realized I could combine my passions for costuming, sewing and the stage, so I decided to pursue that full time.
Who is the artist or designer who has influenced you most and why?
I would say costume designer Edith Head had a big impact on me. She won eight Oscars over the course of the late 1950s through the early 1970s—she was super iconic. She framed costume design for the entirety of the 1960s, which is my favorite era of 20th century fashion. Head influenced me because she is both the most notable costume designer in our field, but also because she had a unique personal style that transcended the aesthetics of her designs.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve done recently, professionally or otherwise?
In spring 2024, I had the opportunity to be the assistant costume designer at an opera produced at the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., called Les Fêtes de Thalie. It was the first time performed or produced since the mid-1700s, and so it was really exciting to unearth this historic piece and be on the design team. It was the first time my work was shown at a venue like the Kennedy Center, so it was a very special opportunity.
What is it like in your classroom at Moore?
In my classroom, it’s run like a professional costume shop, which is very artful and focused. Within many costume shops, however, there’s also a lot of joy and camaraderie as you share with the people around you. I think collaboration is incredibly important. Whether a student is working individually or with their peers, being able to talk to share ideas and collaborate is really special. I like to maintain that in my classroom.
I always incorporate a team-building aspect in my classroom to keep students working together, whether that be in the design phase or the technical phase. I also encourage them to talk to each when they’re working—it can be easy for students to plug in their headphones and lick in, but I think there’s a lot that can be missed in terms of skill-sharing. Especially with sewing, there are always a variety of ways to do something, so it’s important to be able to talk to your peers. Students can take it in, replicate methods and learn from one another.
If Moore had a mascot, what would it be?
I keep going back to the comet sculpture by Tristan Lowe above the front entrance at Moore, but maybe with some googly eyes attached. It shows the progress, the innovation and the fierceness that our students have in their approach to design.
Moore College of Art & Design is the only independent art and design college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Want to learn more about the Fashion Design major at Moore? 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!
Photos courtesy of Morgan Porter.
