Product Design & Art Direction

Stuart Weitzman

“A Designer’s Entrepreneurial Journey On The Road Less Traveled”

FashionMash organized networking meetings and hands-on workshops with industry professionals, creating meaningful opportunities for students to build connections and gain real-world insight. In collaboration with Stuart Weitzman and the UNC School of Civic Life and Leadership, these events bridged fashion, leadership and social impact, offering students a space to engage with influential voices while developing both creative and professional skills.

As part of the Workroom FashionMash Group Education Abroad Program, Holley participated in an annual international immersion experience designed for UNC Hussman Workroom FashionMash students. Through a series of industry visits, historical exhibitions and cultural experiences in Florence and Milan, Italy, she explored the history of art, fashion and textiles within the European fashion industry. In partnership with Levi’s, the program provided an in-depth look at denim innovation, textile development, sustainability, recycling and product development. The experience also examined how Levi’s, an iconic American heritage brand, is positioning itself within the European luxury fashion market as it continues its transition into the premium denim category.

Florence, Italy

Workroom FashionMash: Product Design & Art Design Fashion Show

Holley served as an art director and designer for UNC Hussman’s FashionMash showcase, Shades of Blue, in partnership with Levi Strauss & Co. She helped create the entrance gallery, introducing guests to student-designed collections and setting the tone for the showcase.

The show featured The Senior Spotlight, The B-Side, The Meaning of Place and the Levi’s Launch Zone. Holley also worked with her team to design and handcraft a garment featuring more than 1,000 grommets and rivets.

The project gave Holley hands-on experience in art direction, fashion design, visual storytelling, branding and creative collaboration.

Meaning of Place Runway Walk

This collection explores the different paths people take and the places that shape who they are. Through patchwork, embroidery and hand painting, each piece reimagines the “Meaning of Place” as both a physical location and a personal story.

Every garment represents a unique experience, whether it is a hometown, a look inside someone’s thoughts, a passion, or the ups and downs of daily life. With layered textures and stitched details, these designs turn maps into personal narratives.

Although each piece looks different, they all share the same message: place is more than a location. It reflects identity, shapes memories, influences growth and connects us to others. By mapping our individual journeys, we begin to see how our stories overlap and bring us together.