Madeline Carlson, BFA in Fashion Design ’26
Madeline Carlson’s designs pay homage to old-world beauty while remaining relevant to the modern woman. Inspired by romanticism, femininity, and timeless elegance, her garments blend hand-crafted couture details, such as embroidery and applique, with dramatic silhouettes and contemporary influences, balancing nostalgia with modernity and tradition with sensuality.
Vestige
Humans have always been drawn to beauty for its intrinsic worth. As society shifts toward convenience and practicality, the cultivation of life’s finer things has diminished. While modern substitutes serve the same function, such as paper tissues in place of linen handkerchiefs or paper cups instead of porcelain tea sets, artisanal objects provide an aesthetic and emotional experience that ignites joy and engages our passions. In an age dominated by efficiency and technology, the need for beauty is often overlooked.
This ready-to-wear collection, Vestige, revives forgotten old-world beauty inspired by my grandmother’s lace and linens. Layered textures, transparency, and hand-beaded embroidery and appliqué capture the tactile nostalgia of vintage heirlooms. Through this collection, I reclaim the intimacy formed with objects of pure beauty; fragments of what has been lost.