Join us for a conversation with fashion designer, textile artist, and friend of the Wharton Esherick Museum, Dana Meyer. We’ll discuss the many ways that Dana draws inspiration and insight from WEM’s collections, from developing activities inspired by Letty Esherick’s weavings to her recent collaboration with WEM Artist-in-Residence Martha McDonald to create the Prismatic Cape which features prominently in McDonald’s performance The Wood is Singing in Color. To create this elaborate garment that reflects the angular asymmetry of some of Esherick’s most iconic furniture, Meyer and McDonald looked to Japanese pattern making techniques that build dimensional angular shapes through precise pressing and seaming to create dynamic movement. Join us to explore how Dana’s work in textiles can help us understand Esherick and our site in new ways!

Dana Meyer currently works as a full-time fashion designer in New York City and has designed for Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Jessica Simpson, and Lucky Brand. While apparel design is the foundation of her work, she focuses her artistic efforts on all types of textile art, manipulation, and design. Her work is multi-faceted and emphasizes technical sewing construction, skill, and detail in every medium she works with. This includes endeavors in needlepoint, hand embroidery, weaving, crochet pieces, as well as traditional tailoring methods and leather work.

Dana grew up around the corner from the Studio on Valley Forge Mountain where she still lives and works when not in NYC. She holds an MS in fashion design from Drexel University and a BA in Art and Art History from Elon University.