Akron native T.J. Horst showed off his latest collection for Horst Couture Friday night at MOCA. The event was sponsored by FLASH and The Fashion Group International.
An intimate crowd watched as Horst's collection of more than 30 designs was modeled. Each piece was crafted from felt, through a process involving power sanders.
Horst likes the flexibility felt gives him in designing. "The possibilities are vast [with felt]," he said.
Before the show, Horst gave the audience a glimpse into his background: his family instilled a strong work ethic in him at an early age, so it's against his nature to give up easily. When his college professors discouraged him from pursuing photography, then painting, he focused his efforts to studying art education, an area in which he earned a degree.
Today, between a full-time teaching job in Cleveland, raising a family and volunteering regularly, he somehow finds time for fashion design. He feels it's important because it impacts everyone's lives in some way.
"I believe everybody - to some degree - is connected to fashion," Horst said.
Select items from Horst's collection are currently available for purchase at MOCA.
