From the Midway to the Runway

If you've been to the museum, this piece of fashion art may look familiar to you.  This dress, constructed with laminated vintage string bean can labels and cellophane tape, was made by fifteen-year-old Monica Hofstadter.  She designed the dress expressly for the museum's "Country Fair to Culinary Olympics" exhibit, which was installed in 2007.  Monica's inspiration came from a 1964 creation made of butter cartons for Princess Kay of the Milky Way, the ambassador to the Minnesota State Fair, who is responsible for the promotion of the dairy industry.


Now in her second year of the Fashion Design program at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City, Monica has recently won the Student Prize in the Vogue Knitting "Magic of Mohair" design competition, sponsored by Mohair South Africa.  As a finalist in the competition, her mohair dress was showcased January 21-23 at Vogue Knitting LIVE in New York City.  On January 22, it was announced that she was the student winner.  As a result, her dress, along with instructions for knitting, will be featured in Vogue Knitting magazine, on the Mohair South Africa website and in other Mohair South Africa media.

Please join us in congratulating Monica for this great accomplishment!!