The newest exhibition at the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery, “Historic Hats Reimagined: A Spectacle of Scale and Creativity,” features work of students from the Visualization Studio course in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design.
Students in the TMFD 146 course led by Assistant Professor Michael Burton and Ph.D. student Tina Shetabi were tasked with reinterpreting historic hat designs from the TMFD Historic Costume Collection, transforming them into monumental art pieces. Associate Professor Mary Alice Casto, head of the collection, selected a variety of hats that represented different decades, styles and construction methods. Some hats are recognizable names such as Dior, while others are unknown.
The project began with students carefully studying and sketching original hats to understand their structure, form and craftsmanship. In collaborative teams, they analyzed and measured the original designs to recreate them at an extraordinary scale. Using chipboard, glue, paper tape, and brass paper tacks, students crafted oversized sculptures – each at least four times larger than its original counterpart – that push the boundaries of traditional millinery techniques.
This hands-on approach to design is rooted in ideation, prototyping, and manufacturing principles that echo the philosophies of the Bauhaus and Black Mountain College, where experiential learning fosters advanced problem-solving skills. The Visualization Studio course builds on the legacy of Visual Literacy, a now-defunct interdisciplinary program that emphasized the development of critical thinking and artistic skills through innovative, design-centered projects.
Burton, who teaches the course to freshmen and sophomores every fall, describes the process as a haptic learning scenario.
“Students not only learn to translate two-dimensional sketches into three-dimensional forms but also explore the interplay of volume, texture, and materiality,” Burton said. “These exercises challenge students to think creatively and collaboratively, using simple materials to achieve extraordinary results.
“The exhibition invites viewers into a world where ordinary objects are transformed into the extraordinary. Each oversized hat exemplifies the students’ creative problem solving, craftsmanship, and imagination. From small design details to texture and scale, these works celebrate the intersection of fashion, sculpture, and innovation.”
The “Historic Hats Reimagined” exhibition is on display at the Hillestad Gallery through Jan. 27, 2025. The Robert Hillestad Gallery is located on the second floor of the Gwendolyn Newkirk Human Sciences Building on East Campus. The gallery is open to the public 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
College of Education and Human Sciences
Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design
