This spring I have had some incredible opportunities to get to share my work beyond Jackson. One of which was heading to Laramie to the University of Wyoming at the beginning of May for the Kaleidoscope Fashion Show. This fashion show was created by and for the students in the fashion program there to showcase their final collections. Each year they invite a Wyoming designer to come present their work as well. I was so honored to get the invitation!! I love Laramie and UW so any chance I get to go I love too. Last summer I went for a 4H event and was so inspired. This was very exciting. It also gave me a chance to make a full runway ready collection.
They way I have been creating The Cowgirl Mermaid Collection is as one continuous thought over years. Even though many of the pieces from the past 4 years are not with me anymore they are in my mind as part of this one big collection of everything a Cowgirl Mermaid would wear. I had several runway ready pieces that I had shown over the years at the JH Pride Spring Fling Fashion shows that were a story continuation. I also had some work in progress gowns and a special leather jacket that I had more ideas for.
When I put all the pieces together I saw the story I have been wanting to tell. One about a Country Princess. One thing about coming out later in life is I have been exploring if my small town girl Wyoming dreams can come together with my lesbian ones. One reason I did not come out for so long is I was scared I couldn't put both of those together and to stay in Wyoming I needed to be the straight girl I was pretending to be. I love being a country princess, its where you can be out in the woods but stay your girly self at the same time. Its about caring about the simple things. Its loving the wide open spaces and places without a lot of people. Its loving little log cabins. Its strolls along the river listening to the animals in the trees and seeing the birds fly over the river. Its about small town lore and giving back to the community and knowing someone everywhere you go. For better or worse.
For this collection I created pieces I imagined that the country princess would wear in her special places from small moments to the most important days of her life. Most of the starting off clothing pieces I found or were given to me. They came from across Wyoming, Idaho and Texas. All places I find a lot of country princesses. The trims were also found or inherited. I put all the elements together slowly over years. They will also keep evolving as long as I have them on my rack. What I love about upcycle is the ever evolving process. You can always keep changing your clothes.
The runway at UW was the perfect place to share this collection. I was so torn at the end of high school to stay in wyoming or head to nyc. Fashion pulled me to nyc and then showed me a world of queer pride, history and joy. Those years not only taught me how to be a fashion designer but how this lead me to who I really was. I needed lots of time and twists and turns to be brave enough to be her and I can't believe it is back in Wyoming where I came out, but it really was the right place to do it. But the gay men that took care of me and showed me how to be proud that I found through fashion taught me how to do it. Fashion taught me I can wear whatever I want, make whatever I want and inspire others to do the same. I love that I could bring all this together in a place I kept going back to looking for my country princess prince. Turns out I just wanted to find another princess LOL.
I have never gotten to have a full collection on a runway and I have never gotten to walk out afterwards and wave. It is what you see the designers do and I always wanted to. It was so fun to get to do this! And to see my logo on a step and repeat. The students really gave me an A-list treatment, I felt so special it was soo fun! But the best part was seeing their work! The creativity, conceptual story telling and overall show BLEW MY MIND!!! I also got to be one of the judges and my jaw was on the ground through all the collections. I really want them all to go out and be a apart of the industry they have so much to add to it. I know they will! Wyoming creativity is something special. I love my fellow Wyoming people there is just no other place like this one. I feel like the state can be like one big town. It was just so fun and I had the best weekend. Also any chance i get to drive across the state is my fav thing to do. It was an emotional experience circling back to a place i went with my ex boyfriends but what I love about the journey I am on now I keep going back and getting redos. Instead of chasing down boys I was there alone, proud to be a lesbian and invited to share my upcycle fashion collection on the runway! Country Princess dreams do come true! So thank you thank you thank you to the students for inviting me and treating me so well, that was so fun! I cannot wait to see where their fashion dreams take them!! I am so proud to be a Wyoming Fashion Designer
xoxo Courtney
Collection Statement
A Country Princess Dreamland
In her dreamland, a country princess lives a thousand adventures— and for each one, she creates something new.
Her wardrobe begins with what’s been left behind: discarded clothing, forgotten trims, gathered from Wyoming, Idaho, and Texas, then transformed into treasures.
This collection follows her journey, from day to night, from quiet, fleeting moments to once-in-a-lifetime occasions.
Because upcycle is for every moment.
I imagined a place where the skies stretch wide over open prairie, where dreams grow just as big. A place out West, where time slows down and every moment matters.
Where handmade is cherished, and the simplest things hold the most meaning.
It’s about working with what you have, and letting imagination carry you further.
Upcycle reminds us: it’s not where you start… it’s where you go.
Watch my runway debut here