Designer: Athena Eagar
Title: Here Comes the Rain – The Matrix
Athena Eager, from Glendale, Arizona, may be new to designing fashion, but not to the sewing and creating process. She has designed and sewn her own outfits and costumes for several years – everything from dresses and gowns, pants, jackets, coats and corsets. Her experience and interest in sewing and garment construction started with her mother, a home taught seamstress who made many of the garments she wore as a child and several of the outfits she owns now. “For much of my life, my interest has been as a hobby,” says Athena. “I sewed off-and-on through my teenager years, usually dresses and skirts, and whenever I had a chance as I grew older. What I would create varied including historic period garb, uniforms, dresses, skirts, pants, cloaks and capes, jackets, petticoats and corsets.”
She only considered fashion as a career when she took a step back a few years ago and realized she would be quite happy designing and sewing whenever she could for as long as she could and then explored what opportunities were available. “I discovered that my local college had an entire program and enrolled right away. I am now completing my second year, with one more semester remaining. I have maintained a 4.0 grade point average and have gained invaluable sewing, tailoring, and designing knowledge. I entered fashion design school because I love to sew but had little idea of what options were available or what fashion design actually entailed. I am completing the designs of my first line at this time.” Athena has found that inspiration can come from anywhere, including her design this year for The Her Universe Fashion Show. “The initial idea for ‘Here Comes the Rain’ struck while I was shopping for school supplies and found a wool that looked remarkably like the Matrix Rain. It was too perfect a bit of inspiration not to try to incorporate it into a geek couture garment.”
Photo: Mark Edwards