I'm Rita (she/her/hers), a third year graduate student at Drexel University currently pursuing my MS in Fashion Design. I received a BFA in Illustration with an Immersion in Visual Culture from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. I'm from southern New Jersey, and looking to begin my career in the womenswear industry with a special interest in knitwear design.

This year at Drexel I’m focusing on my thesis fashion collection titled “roses & holly.” The previous year at Drexel I spent as the graduate assistant in the fashion design program’s knit lab. My responsibilities for this position included overseeing student knitting on SHIMA SEIKI SSR112 7g and 12g knitting machines for the Machine Knitting elective. I’ve continued my work as GA into my current work study position this fall.

Throughout my academic career, I’ve developed skills in patternmaking, draping, sewing, couture techniques, illustration in a range of digital and traditional media, The Adobe Creative Suite, SHIMA SEIKI Apex Software and SSR112 7g & 12g knitting machine programming and operation, and CLO3D CAD Patternmaking.