Stephanie Adams

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2020 at twenty-six years old. I underwent hormonal therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation -- all during the covid pandemic. During this very difficult time, I was surrounded by loving friends, family, and God, who helped me persevere to survivorship. I credit my background in healthcare and desire to help others affected by breast cancer as driving me to be involved with Forge and participate in events like Haute Pink to hopefully make this road a little less hard for someone else! 

 

I grew up in Mississippi where I graduated from the University of Mississippi. I am married to my best friend Mark Adams, and we have three furbabies. I am a community pharmacist at an independent retail pharmacy.

 

Julie Maeseele

I am a progressive and ethical fashion label that proudly creates made-to- order apparel in limited edition, featuring recycled materials and surplus textiles. Every garment is hand-cut and machine-sewn using single-needle fine tailoring and is built to last. It is a mix of old and new- traditional techniques with a contemporary attitude. Made in Alabama.

I explore the “labour of love” within a garment. At the core of JM, we believe that you are what you wear. Therefore we focus on producing timeless, durable, and sentimental pieces.

I am a mom of three, born and raised in Belgium. After graduating from the St. Lukas Art Academy in Gent as a textile designer, I worked with Muslim women for a non-profit organization, where I was exposed to a wide variety of cultural textile heritage. Through this interaction, I realized the power fashion has to communicate heritage, culture, history; the power fashion has to express to one another our interests, morals, beliefs. My past work as an independent designer and as a non-profit designer include modern rugs, shoes, and textile installations. Motherhood helped me to realize what was important to me in life: fashion. After my first child, Gloria, was born, I dedicated my time to getting trained as a seamstress. Through my training, I discovered my true passion for craftsmanship.

In the summer of 2014, I relocated to the United States with my family. As a new fashion designer in the US, I won the Birmingham Fashion Week 2016 Emerging Designer Competition. Wanting to gain more experience and skills I interned with Manuel Cuevas, better known simply as Manuel. Manuel, a fashion star in the Southeast, has made custom designs for people such as Lady Gaga, the late Johnny Cash, and even James Dean. His spirit and devotion to craftsmanship is what inspired me the most to continue paving my own way in the fashion world.

After years of training, I have turned my passion for making quality garments into a business. However, I do not aim to become yet another seasonal fashion designer. The fashion industry has focused too much on producing quantity over quality at the expense of social and environmental costs. I hope to bring attention to the root of the garment itself by using recycled materials and sustainable textiles, as well as giving proper credit to the hard work seamstresses and textile workers put in.