By Brooke Finnerty
Grace Pohl is one of the eighteen textile and apparel designers showing their collection at the annual Capstone Collection Fashion Show on April 27. In the following interview with University Fashion Fashion Group, she reveals details of her upcoming collection “Leilani.”
BF: Tell me about yourself as an individual and a designer.
GP: So, I was born and raised in Belton, Texas. It’s a small town. I’ve been sewing since I was 10 years old and I competed in four H, which was a fashion show and an agriculture competition. I really fell in love with getting to say “I made it” going to school. So ever since fifth grade, I wanted to make sure I made my own clothes and did competitions. My dream was to always go to the University of Texas so I could do my collection.
BF: Tell me about your creative process.
GP: I’m very proud of myself. I feel like I’ve been ahead of the game and just really in love with my collection. I love color, so going into the lab and working with my fabrics just makes me excited to finish my collection and to see the finished product. I’ve draped a couple of my looks, and I did some flat patterns, but I’ve really just utilized these past four years of the UT textiles and apparel program. I’m really proud of where I am right now.
BF: Tell me more about what inspired your collection.
GP: So, the inspiration of my collection is the name Leilani, which means Heavenly Garland Flowers. In August after graduation, I will be moving to Maui, Hawaii. The reason that I love it so much is just the beautiful culture, flowers, fruits, and it’s really where I find my happiness. I’m excited to pursue fashion there. So my collection is really inspired by the flowers in Maui and the feeling that you get, which is just pure joy.
I have a classic Mumu, which I actually named after my mom, Linda, ’cause she always wore Mumu while I grew up. So it’s a loose-fitting dress, but it’s flowy, it’s graceful, and the bead is inspired just from the coral reefs that you see, and elegant flowers.
I also have the lei, which of course has golden plumerias on the top and is inspired by a golden hula girl. I have another piece called Lily, which is inspired by the beautiful flowers that you see on the island and the dew of the grass that just sparkles whenever the sun rises. Then I also have Lola, which is just a vintage take of Maui, but also my favorite celebrity Cher. It’s just fun and that’s what the culture is in Hawaii. It’s the joy and it’s the fun, and I just really wanted to embrace it.
BF: How you feel about your collection being revealed on the runway?
GP: I am so excited to see the collection on the runway. I’ve actually attended the University of Texas Fashion show when I was in sixth grade, eighth grade, and all throughout high school. Thanks to certain designers, my very first skirt was inspired by Lily Pulitzer. I feel like I’ve really grown into my own and basing it off designers like Lily Pulitzer, it’s always been a dream to see my looks at the University of Texas Fashion Show.
⭐️ Purchase tickets to the annual Capstone Collection Fashion Show to see “Leilani” by Grace Pohl. ⭐️
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