Where Student Work Takes the Spotlight
unbound
UNBOUND is the annual documentary showcase of The Fashion Archive Internship Program, featuring students from all disciplines as they conduct research, manage collections, innovate digitally, and engage the public. The series celebrates their discoveries, scholarship, and creativity, putting undergraduate work in the spotlight.
UNBOUND is the annual documentary showcase that captures each intern in The Fashion Archive & Digitalization Lab’s academic year-long journey and achievements. The featured documentaries highlight these exceptional undergraduate students whose projects span the spectrum of discovery. Showcasing how undergraduate research in The Fashion Archive connects diverse disciplines—from technology and design to business and science—to shape the evolving future of fashion while reflecting the University’s commitment to fostering innovation and discovery through collections and museum-based learning..
The Fashion Archive Internship Program is where undergraduate research takes shape.
UNBOUND puts it in the spotlight
Class of 2025
Ali Byron | interior design
Photosensitivity Warning
The video above contains strobe effects and rapidly flashing lights. Warning to those who are sensitive.
As an intern in The Fashion Archive’s Digitalization Lab, Ali explored how emerging mobile technologies can enhance museum documentation and digital preservation. Her research project, “Evaluating Mobile 3D Modeling Applications for Museum Object Digitization: A Beta Test Using a Judith Leiber Minaudière from The Fashion Archive Collection,” tested three mobile 3D modeling applications on an iPad Pro, assessing each for interface design, efficiency, export compatibility, and cost. The study offered practical insights into selecting accessible tools for high-quality digital capture of museum objects. Ali presented her findings at URCA 2025, where her work was recognized among the top undergraduate research projects out of more than 700 participants.
In Fall 2025, Ali began her graduate studies at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).
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Class of 2025
Emily Faircloth | biology
Combining her passion for science and design, Emily Faircloth’s internship project bridged disciplines through collections management and public engagement. While organizing The Fashion Archive’s extensive paper sewing pattern collection, she inspired and help develop make – creative workshops by design – a sustainable workshop framework for the Department of Clothing, Textiles, and Interior Design. The initiative connects faculty expertise with community through interactive, skill-building sessions. Emily co-hosted the first workshop, the dress, based on her work digitizing and grading a 1960s dress pattern. Her work exemplified collaboration between research, heritage, and community engagement.
In Fall 2025, Emily began pursuing her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut.
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Class of 2027
Olivia Grace Abner | management
Sophomore Olivia Grace Abner’s research, “The Entrepreneurial Legacies of Sally Milgrim and Nell Donnelly Reed in Early 20th-Century American Fashion,” examined the intersections of business innovation and design history. Drawing from The Fashion Archive and a private collection, her study compared each designer’s marketing strategies, clientele, and brand positioning, revealing how Milgrim shaped luxury fashion while Donnelly Reed revolutionized ready-to-wear for the mass market. Olivia presented her findings at URCA 2025, contributing a business perspective to the study of fashion history.
During Summer 2025, Olivia Grace completed the Supply Chain Management and Operations Internship with Michelin.
For Fall 2025, she is enrolled in the Arts and Business Program at the University of Maastricht, Netherlands.
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