Written by Avery Stankus
Images by Hive Studio
When many hear the phrase ‘Nineteenth Amendment’, they likely think of the women’s suffrage act. But fashion designer Meghan Hughes, something else comes to mind.
The one of kind platform named Nineteenth Amendment, allows independent designers to sell directly to their customers in a new way; everything is made on-demand for each order. Hughes, a Lasell College alum, is one of many independent designers who are a part of the platform. Any collection of hers can be viewed on the site, from her first (which was initially seen on the Lasell runway!), to one of her recent collections inspired by Tim Burton.
It all started with Hughe’s great-aunt; Hughes credits her fashion-related ambition to her days of dressing up in her great-aunt’s vintage clothing and jewelry. From there, “I learned to appreciate and recognize well-made clothing,” she tells the Nineteenth Amendment.
Have you given our latest POLISHED issue a read? If so, a certain blue star-print dress may have caught your eye. The idea for the mini, mod dress came “very clearly and quickly” to Hughes, and has been one of her favorite pieces to design thus far. The detailed dress, as well as the starred, leather mini-skirt, is a part of her David Bowie inspired collection. If you take a look at the six piece line, it’s evident just how much the icon had an influence on her art. From metallics to leather, the 70’s glam rock is a prominent theme.
What you’ll notice about Hughe’s work is how she takes an idea, a character, or icon and makes art from it. “I’m usually more inspired by people than I am by places or things,” she explained to the Nineteenth Amendment. It’s inspiring to her how a single person can spark her imagination for an entire line of clothing. Hughes tries to have a clear theme for every collection. “Sometimes it can take a while to come up with an inspiration. I try to do a ton of research on my theme and get obsessed with it before I start coming up with designs and color palettes,” she stated on her process of creating her work.
While the process of creating art may be fun, being in a rut isn’t a great time. It may surprise people to find out she gets in a rut quite often. She claims that “it’s definitely the hardest part of the process.” Finding new inspiration can be time consuming, but for Hughes her focus is being optimistic and having an open mind, because inspiration eventually finds it’s way to her. “I try not to focus too much on the future and really live in the present.”
As a Lasell grad herself, Hughes urges students to follow their passion. She advises design students to make it work if you really want to do something, saying “don’t take shortcuts. Buying nice fabrics, investing in a professional model and photographer, and designing with quality makes a huge difference.” While this may require you to make sacrifices in other areas, but according to Hughes, “in the long run it’s worth it.”
If you have the same fashion philosophy as Hughes, “Fashion should be bold, unique, well-made with integrity, and make the wearer feel confident,” having the Star Mini Dress in your closet is a must.
Image from POLISHED Magazine
Another thank you from the entire POLISHED team to Meghan Hughes for her contributions, as it made a great difference in our vision for the magazine. Be sure to look out for both pieces when you get your hands on the issue.
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