Jefferson Fashion Design Students Win Big with 2020 Eileen Komar West Scholarship

Each year since 2018, the Under Fashion Club has awarded scholarships to Thomas Jefferson fashion design students in memory of the late intimates/sleepwear designer Eileen West. Junior students interested in intimate apparel or sleepwear are invited to apply for this opportunity . In the spring of 2020, seven Jefferson Fashion Design students applied for this scholarship, and all were awarded some amount of financial help toward funding their final years of education. In total, Thomas Jefferson fashion design students were awarded a total of $35,000 in scholarship this past year.

The Under Fashion Club (UFC) is an organization within the Intimate Apparel and Underwear Industry. UFC was “established in 1958 as the Corset and Brassiere Women’s Club, Inc… a not–for–profit 501(c)(3) charitable, organization dedicated to intimate apparel education.” The club funds scholarships and internships for students looking to enter the industry as part of their *4–pillar mission statement:

Supporting education to attract new talent to the Industry.
Providing members with learning opportunities and enabling enrichment of member careers through professional growth.
Providing leadership for the operation of the Industry.
Organizing and conducting charitable activities in our community, through grant-making, product donations and/or volunteer action.

Students participating in this scholarship competition must submit a personal statement about their interest in the intimate apparel industry, current resume, and faculty letter of recommendation in addition to design deliverables. As always, students develop a concept and fabric direction before sketching intimate and sleepwear apparel looks for their target customer. Beautifully illustrated looks and technical flats help convey silhouette and detailing.

Thank you to the Underfashion Club for providing this scholarship opportunity for our students for yet another year. Students appreciate the opportunity to develop design skills while also receiving some monetary recognition for their hard-work. Design majors can be expensive, so scholarship funding can be a great way to help alleviate some financial strain.

We also want to congratulate all the 2020 Eileen West/ Under Fashion Club scholarship winners. Be sure to check out their projects below!