Alternative Fashion Blog: Meet Caroll + Cleopatra: Our Young and Confident Designer Duo

Cleopatra Slough and Caroll Kern

Caroll Kern and Cleopatra Slough are juniors at CCAD pursuing undergrad degrees in fashion design. These self-proclaimed cat people have worked together for a few years in classes and personal side projects and are bringing their collaboration, Caroll + Cleopatra, to the AFW finale runway show. Both are in the honors program and showcase their work in campus galleries every semester. And although fashion is their main pursuit, they both are also interested in photography and jewelry design.

Caroll Kern, Photographer

They design for young confident women (like them!!) with a strong influence from the 70s. Music and textiles from that era really inform our work, and we tend to put a slightly girly twist on things.

Attending CCAD provides lots of inspiration as well...friends and fellow artists at the school certainly fuel creative juices for both young ladies. One example of this was learning Shibori and Nuno Felting in their Surface Design class last week and observing not only what they were taught but also what their peers created!

At this point, they do not sell their designs anywhere but do take commissions when they have time, creating only one-of-a-kind clothing.

Caroll Kern, Photographer

Q&A

What is essential to your design process?
We sketch A LOT.

Why the AFM/AFW?

We found out about AFW through our school’s Career Services program! We think of ourselves as alternative designers, so we definitely thought it would make a great fit!