Temple grad student and designers reshape what femininity looks like
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Temple grad student and some designers are re-shaping what femininity looks like during Women's History Month.
"The wires are for breaking boundaries in terms of clothing in the fashion world," said Temple grad student Rachel Bromberg.
It's one of many custom garments Bromberg will feature in an upcoming fashion show that she's directing called "Figures."
"I just always wanted to empower women," Bromberg said. "I just want women to feel comfortable in their own skin because it is a struggle sometimes with the fashion world."
The 22-year-old from Bucks County is a graduate student at Temple University with a major in media studies and production. Bromberg has spent 20 hours a week working on a fashion show as part of her master's thesis examining the centuries-old relationship between women's bodies and fashion.
"Women had to wear a corset to be deemed feminine," Bromberg said.
The concept of the show attempts to redefine society's idea of the feminine figure and features several up-and-coming local designers. Like Jake Burke who up until now, has only created men's apparel but was up for challenging himself and the norm.
"When clothing shapes are changed it takes away the need for a woman's figure to compliment the clothing," Burke said. "When she puts it on it changes her figure, so her figure is no longer the object of interest."
Bromberg says on the runway expect to see pieces that are free-flowing, form-fitting, or completely against the grain.
"The shape of women can be boxy, flows, tight, it doesn't matter," Bromberg said. "If you feel comfortable in something, you should feel confident and wear it."
The Figures fashion show is Sunday at 5 p.m. and Bromberg intentionally selected Location 215 as the venue. It's a woman-owned studio space in the Spring Garden Arts District.
