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ColorBlind Magazine
Pictured here is the Bottle Cap Dress, which was on display at the art exhibit. The dress was created from recycled materials, and contributions from local businesses who donated tons of bottle caps to help Rachel complete the project.
WIN TER 2013 / SPECIAL: BLACK ART
She attended Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta and majored in fashion design with a minor in graphic design. Since graduating in 2011, Washington has been on the track of getting her designs out to the masses. She held her first fashion exhibition last October called “IDEALideas” which featured her designs as well as artwork by her friends Alesyn McCall and Devin Laster, who are also up and coming artists. The RAW Collection was in full effect during the art exhibit and while strutting one of her own designs, she showcased a wide array of designs each having a cultural theme. The African Queens Collection, for instance, was a display of custom made black dresses and its significance is drawn from Washington’s own experience within the culture. She grew up in an African centered church and was brought up with a well-rounded perspective of African traditions, so she wanted to pay homage to her roots. The Bottlecap dress, which was also on display at the art exhibit, was certainly an attention grabber and further solidifies her fashion goal of being raw. The dress was created from recycled materials, and contributions from local businesses who donated tons of bottle caps to help her complete the project. She says she got the idea from Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui who creates huge murals out of recycled materials. “I also had a project when I was in school where I used different materials that were not fabric, so that got me in the mindset that everything I make doesn’t have to be made out of fabric or satin, I could make a dress out of wood or milk bottles,” she said.
EK Photography
The Bottlecap dress is just one of many creative designs that Washington has up her sleeve, and there are more to come. She is currently working on more designs and for now, is only selling them on a private basis. Her goal is to sell her designs online and make them available for purchase to the public. Updates about Washington’s latest designs and the RAW Collection can be found on her Tumblr, shessoraw.tumblr.com/. Still, Washington is part of Detroit’s up and coming fashion design league. While many may think that only the hottest designers are in New York and LA, Washington is just waiting for the “D” to join the ranks as a fashion hub. “Like most Detroiters, I have this strange allegiance to my city like no one can talk about it and no one can say anything bad about it because we know what it is and we know what it can be and you don’t know that unless you have been here for a while,” said Washington. “I want to see Detroit come up to like the New York or L.A., and I would love to be a part of that.”