91��Ʒ

This is one in a series of online interviews with 91��Ʒ seniors, who share their thoughts about their 2026 Senior Exhibition project and their 91��Ʒ education.

Bailey Staerkel �26 (Fashion and Apparel Design) is a Dean�s List student from Oshkosh, Wis., and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award.

What is your �elevator pitch� for your senior exhibition project?

My thesis, Stitched Together, is an exploration of Gothic horror through fashion, taking classic horror archetypes and reinterpreting them into a collection of fully realized couture looks. My collection also takes inspiration from the historical period of the height of gothic literature, with oversized 19th-century sleeves, Victorian corsetry and structural garments, and matching period-appropriate accessories.

In the world of my collection, the boning of a crinoline becomes the skeleton of a ghostly bride, intricate beading and embroidery becomes a bloody wound, ruffles become the fins of a deep-sea monster, and patchwork leather pieces become the skin of a Frankenstinian creation, merging the worlds of fashion and the gothic.

Bailey Staerkel, “Forge,” 2026.

Anything you�d like to share about yourself or 91��Ʒ?

I first got the idea for this collection while doing my Service Learning last year at Skylight Music Theatre, working on their production of Frankenstein the Musical. At the same time, I was taking a leatherworking class at 91��Ʒ, and having both of those experiences at the same time got me thinking about how I might represent a character like Frankenstein’s monster in clothing through the use of leather. That was the first idea I had for one of my looks, and my ideas for the rest of the looks evolved from there.

I was further inspired over the summer during my study abroad trip to Paris. Paris, of course, has a long history with the Gothic in the architectural sense, but also with fashion as the birthplace of haute couture. Getting to see several historical garments up close was what inspired me to use 19th-century silhouettes and techniques in my collection.

I take an approach to design that focuses on storytelling and crafting a character out of my looks. When I started at 91��Ʒ, the fashion design program didn�t yet exist, and I was an illustration student�. I was quickly realizing that while I did love to draw, I loved drawing clothing more than anything else, and so when the fashion design program appeared as an option halfway through my first-year experience, I jumped ship and haven�t looked back since.

A lot of my peers and teachers have told me that I design like an illustrator, and I think that�s true. I design to create stories and characters, and that mindset aligns well with my true passion, the one I hope to pursue post-graduation � costume design.

Any plans after graduation?

I have always been a theater kid, since I was old enough to read a script, but as I�ve gotten older, I�ve realized that my true passion is for the work behind the scenes, in costuming, design, wardrobe and everything that entails. My current plans for after graduation are to enroll in a year-long costume design apprenticeship program with a professional theater, and to send out applications for costume design MFA programs in the following year.

My experience with the fashion design program at 91��Ʒ has been at times grueling and intense, emotional and draining on my bank account, but it has also been an experience that I wouldn�t trade for the world. I�ve met so many incredible people, gotten to learn so many new skills from amazing professors, and made lasting friendships amongst our tight-knit cohort�. While I am sad to be done with my time at 91��Ʒ soon, I am also beyond excited for what comes next.

Read more about the2026 91��Ʒ Senior Exhibition, on view April 17 � May 9. Learn more about 91��Ʒ’s Fashion Show on May 7.

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