History
The 10Dresses Project was the brainchild of one persistent woman, Rebecca Russell.
Initially, Rebecca's vision was to create a rotating art installation of 10 Dresses that would showcase a fusion of history, textiles, fashion and art. The original idea came to her in 2021 while shopping in her local JoAnn Fabric store. She came across several bolts of reproduction Kente fabric and wondered to herself what 10 dresses spanning 200 years of American fashion would look like all created in the same Kente fabric. Rebecca began developing the idea and believed in the merits of the expression as an art form, a discussion piece and an exploration into American and African history. Unfortunately, the pushback she received was fierce, and Rebecca eventually capitulated on the original idea (though she hasn't given it up completely).
Not wanting to give up on the spirit of the idea of merging art, history and fashion, Rebecca set out to re-brand The 10Dresses Project and breathe new life into the organization. She filed for non-profit status and lit a fire under the mission and vision. Today, the 10Dresses Project is all about bringing fashion & history to local communities and igniting sparks everywhere it can.
Clothing tells a story! And all the elements that go into clothing - patterns, design, fabric, sewing, trimming, and blood, sweat and tears (truly!) - make up the WHOLE STORY of what it means to clothe ourselves. Youth understand this on a visceral level, but often miss the history that critically underpins the culture and skills inherent in the design and fabrication of the very clothing they wear to tell their stories. Understanding that history on an intimate level, and preserving all those skills and stories, is critical. More importantly, sewing is quickly becoming a lost art. More than just an art, sewing is a life skill that could make the difference in a young person's ability to afford the clothing and fashions they are wearing. These skills need to be taught, and in a context that embraces the historical importance in which they developed.
Rebecca believed strongly enough in the importance of this mission to start The 10Dresses Project and we believe that you will believe in its importance, too!
