Anna Strawderman

Designer: Anna Strawderman

Hometown: Matthews, North Carolina

Email: aestrawd@ncsu.edu

Collection Title: Forever in Oxford

Bio

As someone who romanticizes her entire life and is deeply passionate about what she loves, it was no wonder how the stars aligned for Anna. Anna has always been a creative person, mostly finding a place in the performing arts and taking on different craft-related hobbies, whilst spending time with her friends and family. But at the age of 14, Anna first fell in love with weddings after watching a number of romance movies. While she loved looking at the gowns and the flowers and all things bridal, she brushed it off as just something to romanticize and daydream about, never considering working in that field. That was until she came to the NC State Wilson College of Textiles 5 years later. Suddenly this dream came to be an option, a way she can do what she’s passionate about and express her creativity in a new way. She began her journey learning how to sew in her first studio course in the Spring of 2021 and has grown from this nervous yet determined girl into someone who lives to design bridalwear. After her graduation in May 2024, she hopes she can continue this dream of designing wedding gowns, following the ambition that had waited for her for so many years.

Collection Concept

Forever in Oxford is a bridal collection inspired by Anna’s study abroad experience at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom this past summer. Visiting the UK has been her biggest dream since she was 10 years old.  She had built it up in her mind and romanticized it for over the last decade and when she got there, it turned out to be everything she had ever dreamed of, becoming the most impactful and significant time of her life. She created this collection as a way to express the English romanticism she lived in everyday. This dreamy, romantic collection has a mix of timeless silhouettes paired with breathtaking trains all made out of the finest, most delicate fabrics. In addition, she’s included various florals to her creations, giving some color to the gowns and adding to the whimsical nature of the collection. To Anna, this collection pays homage to one of the best things in her life and she now wants to share her experience with the world through her passion of bridalwear.