Forsyth County Student to Pursue Fashion Design Career

Audrey Matey, 2023 graduate from Pinecrest Academy, has wanted to be a fashion designer ever since elementary school. Her passion has been nurtured during high school through her AP Art coursework at Pinecrest Academy. A particular design interest of Audrey’s is historical fashion, which matches her own vintage style.

In AP Art this year, her Sustained Investigation was “Modernizing Historical Fashion.” Sustained Investigation is the concept of producing a series of sequential visual forms to explore in greater depth a particular visual concern. It is literally the art of combining your materials and processes into a common theme. Audrey began working on her Sustained Investigation last summer. She made five apparel pieces based on different historical eras - Romantic, Regency, Edwardian, Victorian, etc. and started investigating 20s fashion. She dedicated at least one page per era in her sketchbook as she researched historical fashion.

Audrey makes her own patterns on her own dress form rather than buying pre-made patterns, allowing her the creativity of making her own unique designs. She even made this year's prom dress, which was on display at Pinecrest's Spring Art Show and was part of her AP Portfolio.

Runway fashion was the key inspiration for Audrey’s “Modernizing Historical Fashion” project. In fact, she aspires to be in runway fashion design, which showcases higher-end attire typically seen on the runways and worn by celebrities.

"We are very proud of Audrey! She is a beautiful example of how God's gifts can be shared in many different ways," commented Amy Bowman, Pinecrest Academy High School Principal. "Our teachers have a knack for helping students discover their talents and then helping them to grow and flourish. Mrs. Grimaldi, our AP Art teacher, has been so supportive of Audrey and her passion."

To align with this passion, and her future career goal, Audrey is excited to be attending SCAD in Savannah in the fall, majoring in Fashion.