SCAD alum Caroline Scott takes us behind the scenes as she flourishes in the fashion industry
Atlanta native Caroline Scott has quickly ascended the world of fashion following her four years at SCAD ATL. Thanks to her inventive and eco-conscious approach, Scott clinched a victory at a local sustainability-focused design competition last year, marking her as a promising young talent in the sustainable fashion realm.
Scott’s senior collection, “Doll Parts,” notably gained recognition on the cover of Ellen Von Unwerth’s illustrious Von Magazine. The cover highlighted a collaboration with actress Marina Mazepa, bringing Scott’s designs to a much larger audience. During the shoot, Scott also took on the role of stylist’s assistant, working alongside Jules Wood: fashion editor for Von Magazine and editor of Reserved Magazine.
As “Doll Parts” prepares for its next phase, Scott is looking to nurture new talent with a summer internship. In the meantime, she met with me to delve into her journey, her inspirations, her time at both London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week, and her plans for the future of her brand.
Photo courtesy of Caroline Scott.
How did you get into fashion?
“I’ve been interested in fashion as far back as I can remember. As a kid I didn’t just play dress up, I lived in dress up. I was always fully committed to the look — shuffling around the grocery store in my sparkly plastic heels — and from the beginning, I remember having strong opinions about the clothes I wore. I lived in princess dresses, hated turtlenecks, and refused to wear things that didn’t ‘twirl.’ From there, it evolved into making clothes for my dolls out of whatever I could find, to a few sewing lessons here and there. But things really took a turn when I was gifted my grandma’s old sewing machine and dress form. Lots of ‘dresses’ were draped and forgotten, mostly because I still knew nothing about garment construction, but it was all a valuable experience for little me. And by the time I was 12, my career was decided upon. I received a croquis-filled sketchbook one Christmas, and that was that: I was going to be a designer.”
What inspired you to start your fashion journey at SCAD?
“When I was [first] looking at colleges, I wasn’t interested in SCAD. I wanted to major in fashion, so I felt like it was New York or nothing. But after touring Parsons and seeing FIT’s lengthy application process, I decided it might not be the right place. I happened to apply to SCAD early after attending a SCAD Day in Savannah and got accepted the summer before senior year. That, along with a friend from high school getting accepted, pretty much made the decision for me.”
Photos courtesy of Nicole Hernandez.
Please take us on a journey through your four years at SCAD. What were the ups? The downs? Any moments that greatly stand out during your time as a student?
“Initially, I began my time at SCAD in Savannah, but the small-town novelty wore off halfway through the first quarter and I decided to come back to Atlanta. The first year or two was really just getting through the required courses and intro fashion classes, building a foundation for what was to come. One of the biggest turning points in my time at SCAD came in March 2020 when COVID put everything on hold. I had just signed a lease in Savannah intending to spend my last year there, but when classes went online, I decided it was in my best interest to take time off. Fashion is such a hands-on field; I felt there was no way I was going to benefit from e-learning. Moving home and taking a breather from all the stress was the best decision I could’ve made. This break really forced me to accept that sometimes things don’t go as planned and that’s okay, we adapt and move on. There was a lot of reflection and personal growth during my time off, something that definitely shaped who I am today.”
Photo courtesy of Caroline Scott.
“The other standout moment came just before senior year. I remember being stuck in my concept development class, trying to decide whether I should do a lingerie-inspired collection or go all out and commit to fully doing lingerie. Peter Jensen was the professor who gave me the little push I needed to take the risk. I quickly decided I was going to go for it and teach myself what I needed to know — because at this point, I knew nothing. Ms. Grimes in the tech room was a huge help to get me started, specifically with some very finicky ruffled undies, but the rest of what I designed was self-taught. Looking back, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to pursue lingerie. I truly found my strength and passion in design.”
Can you take us through the process of starting your own brand, Doll Parts? How did SCAD help with this process?
“The Doll Parts brand is an evolution of my senior collection ‘Doll Parts.’ Through designing the collection, I really felt like I found my style and point-of-view as a designer, and I wanted to keep the momentum going.”
Photo courtesy of Stella Temporal.
“It was around this time last year that I discovered I still had one elective credit to fulfill. Not wanting to take three classes in my last quarter of senior year, I decided to do a summertime independent study with my senior professor, David Longshaw. I took this time as an opportunity to build a website, plan my dream photoshoot, and begin working on new patterns in a range of sizes. A lot of what I worked on in David’s portfolio class helped lay the foundation for the Doll Parts brand. Making business cards and hang tags, initial photoshoots, and constantly experimenting with how to showcase my work gave me material I continued to develop during my independent study and post-graduation.”
“But the idea of starting a company didn’t just emerge last year, it’s been a goal of mine to have my own label since I can remember. Both my parents have their own businesses, so I’ve always had that entrepreneurial spirit, but I’ve never been quite sure what the timing would be. At this point in my life, I thought my focus would be on someone else’s work, not my own. Now, almost a year after graduating, bigger opportunities are starting to present themselves and I’m more excited for the future than ever.”
Photos courtesy of Akash Das.
You, along with several other 2023 graduates, held your fashion show outside of SCAD. How was that, and what did it mean to you as an artist to get a chance to showcase your work outside of SCAD’s platform?
“I was one of three graduating designers that organized the 2023 BFA Student-Run Fashion Show — a show that started as an abstract idea two years prior and ended up becoming a production with 28 participating designers and 200 guests — hosted by Johnson Lowe Gallery in Buckhead. My co-producers and I felt very strongly about giving anyone who wanted it the opportunity to showcase their collection after what felt like years of hard work. We understood SCAD’s inability to do the same, but couldn’t accept it. We wanted to build a platform for the designers to feel supported and celebrated, not only by each other but by friends, family, and faculty. Having the chance to celebrate with the people who supported us throughout the process meant so much. We appreciated each and every designer and model volunteering their time and putting their trust in us to pull the whole thing off. The show ended up being an incredibly rewarding experience, not only as a participating designer but as a producer. Being able to bring so many people together for such a celebratory event meant a lot.”
Photo courtesy of Caroline Scott.
Doll Parts recently won gold at the IDA Design Awards 2023. How has receiving an award like this affected your creative journey?
“I was so excited in January when I found out I won gold in the Lingerie category of the IDA Awards with my senior collection. I actually received the news the day I was leaving for an internship in London. It really felt like a sign that I was moving in the right direction. The announcement came at a time when I’d been frustrated with the job search. Then suddenly, I booked an internship with one of my favorite designers and won a major award. It was a great boost of confidence. Both of these things combined motivated me to come home and recommit to creating for myself and my brand.”
Photo courtesy of Deborah Aier.
What are the main differences you’ve noticed between student life and alum life?
“There are definitely some real differences between the two. For one, the stress of a hectic class schedule is gone. There are no more 20-part projects and critiques to lose sleep over. Although I do feel like it took a few months before I could finally take a deep breath and relax post-graduation. Even now, there’s still this looming need to constantly be productive. Five years of design school may have slightly traumatized me.”
“On the plus side, I have much more time to work on projects that interest me without having to rush for a deadline. I’m able to sit with new ideas and develop them fully, on my schedule. One benefit I’ve found to living in Atlanta is the opportunity for collaboration with other artists, even outside of SCAD. I really feel like there’s so much creativity here, and I have connected with so many new people since graduating and putting my work out there.”
“One piece of advice though: Make an effort to stay connected with your friends and professors after graduation. It can be kind of isolating after everyone goes their separate ways; you have your whole career in front of you, but it also feels like you’re starting your life over. It’s important to surround yourself with a support system that’ll be there when you need it, and vice versa.”
Photos courtesy of Caroline Scott.
You interned for Michaela Stark, the founder of Panty Studio who is breaking beauty norms in the industry with size inclusivity. How was your internship? What were your roles and responsibilities? What did you learn from this experience?
“The internship with Michaela Stark was probably one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had. I spent this past January and February in Michaela’s London studio, where I worked on the launch of her new lingerie brand, Panty, exhibited at the Fondazione Sozzani during Milan Fashion Week. The presentation, titled “Michaela Stark’s Panty Show” was not only the launch of Panty and the new collection, but an exhibition and couture performance that I was lucky enough to experience in person.”
Photo courtesy of Caroline Scott.
“Much of my work on this project included pattern-cutting, basting, and hand sewing nine couture life-size dolls, who modeled the looks in the exhibition. These dolls consisted of 19 bias-bound and boned body parts made from hand-basted layers of tulle and voilette. Needless to say, they took ages to make. When I first arrived, there were five other interns, and by the time the project ended, there were about 15 of us spread around the studio, drinking tea and hand-stitching dolls. Other responsibilities of mine included assisting with various toiles and final garments, making bias binding, and carefully cutting delicate fabrics.”
“I feel really lucky to have interned with Michaela and worked with someone so passionate and committed to their craft. The whole experience left me feeling incredibly inspired, with a much greater appreciation for couture construction and the design process. I feel like I learned so much in such a short time and gained valuable skills I’m now able to apply to my own work. After putting so much of my time and care into someone else’s garments, I couldn’t wait to get home and do the same with my designs.”
You recently traveled to London to work backstage at Yuhan Wang’s AW24 collection at London Fashion Week. Can you take us through how you got involved in such a major project and what you did behind the scenes?
“So, I actually got involved in the show through another intern at Michaela’s studio. She direct messaged me a few days before the show asking if I wanted to help out. I figured it’d be the perfect end to my time in London, so of course I said yes. I remember getting to the venue for the 7 a.m. call time just as the sun was coming up, waiting outside in a crowd of interns. Once we were given wristbands and ushered inside, I was assigned a model to dress for the show. If you’ve never worked backstage as a dresser, it’s a lot of standing around and waiting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s super cool to see the looks and great experience, but make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes!”
Photos courtesy of Caroline Scott.
“This show in particular had 34 looks, citing women in law as the inspiration, with a cream and black color palette and lots of bows and lace. There was actually a lot of opportunity to take pictures of the garments and models backstage, which was surprising, but made for great BTS photos. The moments leading up to the show were chaotic, but it was fun to be in that energy, especially when you’re not the designer. The dressers weren’t able to watch the show, but it didn’t stop us from sneaking back and forth to where the models were lined up. Although many of us hadn’t worked on the clothes, it did feel like we contributed in a meaningful way. Once the show ended, four hours of standing around felt like it paid off.”
“Pro tip: If you wait around long enough, sometimes hair and makeup give away free products.”
Burnout or lack of inspiration are often challenges faced by creatives. How do you combat this professionally?
“Feeling uninspired is something I’ve experienced many, many times — especially throughout the creation of my senior collection. And after all of this, the best advice I could possibly give is to keep working. In my experience, there’s no way around it but through it. It’s a tough part of the creative process, but it’s kind of something that all creatives have to learn to accept. There will be days where it feels like you’ve worked for hours and gotten nowhere, but the key is to remember that all that time and effort is leading you to the answer. It’s putting in the work that counts. No one ever solved burnout by sitting around doing nothing. Head to the library to research, drape with preexisting garments on the stand, collage — just get off the computer and do something physical to get those creative juices flowing. It’s tough and frustrating, but you just have to keep with it; stay determined and curious, and it’ll eventually pay off.”
Photo courtesy of Deborah Aier.
What advice do you have for current students trying to break into their own respective industries?
“Some of the best advice I could give is to never stop editing and adding to your portfolio. It’ll serve you well when applying for jobs, but it’s also important to stay involved in creative projects for yourself. This doesn’t have to mean huge new projects, it could be collaborating with other artists on their work, taking an unpaid styling job on a photoshoot, or applying to design competitions. If you want to work in a creative field, you’ve got to continuously surround yourself with creativity. I’m a strong believer that the opportunities that are meant for you will find you, as long as you’re putting in the effort.”
What are your own plans for the future?
“Well, right now, my second collection for Doll Parts is in the works, which is very exciting. Since my time in London, I’ve felt inspired to dive back in and really commit to creating again. I’ve been spending a lot of time lately on pattern development and samples, making sure everything I produce is in line with my design ethics. Because the environment is such a major consideration in my process, I’ve put a lot of thought into exploring sustainable textile options and new ways of reducing waste in the studio.”
Photos courtesy of Caroline Scott.
“Currently, all garments are made by hand, in-house, from deadstock or discarded materials and upcycled vintage pieces. There will be much more of a focus on corsets in the new collection, continuing to play with asymmetry and deconstruction; and in the coming months, we’ll be accepting custom orders. Cutout girdle skirts and lace undies from the first collection will make a reappearance, this time in a range of sizes, and will be available both online and in stores very soon. I can’t officially announce anything yet, but be sure to follow @dollpartsdollhouse on Instagram to stay up-to-date!”
Interested in interning for Caroline Scott? Go to @dollpartsdollhouse on Instagram.