Storied Threads: History, Artistry, and Innovation in SC Textiles and Design

Kendra Johnson is a professor of theatre in the Department of Performing Arts at Clemson University. She teaches Costume Design, African American Theatre, Theatre Appreciation, and Special Topics in Costume Design. Professor Johnson's scholarly research includes historical clothing, mainly clothes African Americans wore during the antebellum period. The study focuses on the influences of African and Western dress on the enslaved people in America. Her research focuses on self-expression through clothing, the history of African American dress during the 18th and 19th centuries, and how the cultivation of indigo by the enslaved affected their style of dress. She researched the dress of the enslaved inhabitants of Fort Hill plantation in Clemson, SC, and created representative costumes for educational purposes. Prof. Johnson's work focuses on the upstate area of South Carolina. The research has led to collaborations with Clemson professor Dr. Andrea Feeser, an art historian, and Dr. Karen Hall, an ethnobotanist. They examined the fundamental relationship between indigo and the enslaved who cultivated the plants. Prof. Johnson designed and constructed the 18th-century skirt on the cover of Prof. Feeser's book, "Red, White, and Black Make Blue: Indigo in the Fabric of Colonial South Carolina Life." Prof. Johnson's creative research is costume design. She designed for theatre companies in the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast. Her 100 design credits include the world premiere of "The Power of Sail" at The Warehouse Theatre. Other design credits include "Fences" at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, "Dutchman" at Nebraska Repertory Theatre, "In the Heights" at Hangar Theatre in Syracuse, NY, "Sister Act" at Geva Theatre in Rochester, NY, "Appropriate" and "God of Carnage" at The Warehouse Theatre, and a recent production of "The Amen Corner" at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

Diko Pekdemir-Lewis is an award-winning designer from Columbia, SC.

She is the owner and creative mind behind Anton & Maxine.

Born and raised in Germany, in a multicultural and creative environment, she was greatly influenced by her parents’ passion for their crafts. Her mother was a singer and a poet, and her father was a bespoke tailor and dressmaker, which inspired her love for fashion design.

Her professional foundation was built through a 3-year program in classic menswear tailoring and dressmaking, a higher apprenticeship diploma, and a Bachelor’s in Fashion Design. After gaining experience in design through various fashion companies, she launched her brand Anton & Maxine in 2014, named after her daughters, Antoinette and Maxine.

In 2016, she moved from Germany to the US with her family and restarted her brand in Columbia, SC.

Diko is committed to creating timeless designs in exceptional craftsmanship, blending elegance, functionality, and comfort. Each garment is carefully designed and individually handcrafted in-house, reflecting unparalleled precision and quality in every detail.

Kathy Phillips is an accomplished Creative Director, Chief Curator, and textile expert with over 25 years of experience in the home, apparel, and quilting/craft industries. Currently serving as the Chief Curator at Springs Creative's Baxter Mill Archives, Kathy leads the creative development of a vast collection of over 1 million antique documents, textiles, hand-painted artwork, and rare European textile books.

Throughout her career, Kathy has worked with esteemed home furnishing companies, curating artwork and inspiration that reflect evolving consumer trends and uphold brand integrity. She has successfully directed high-profile brand launches, including the Springmaid rebrand in collaboration with Target and Genevieve Gorder, and has expanded product lines at JLA Home, overseeing collections for prominent brands like Natori and Woolrich.

A passionate educator, Kathy has taught textile design at Winthrop University and the Art Institute of Charlotte and holds creative workshops for local fabric stores and quilt guilds. She holds an MFA in Theatre Design, with a concentration in costumes, from the University of Connecticut. With a keen eye for design and a commitment to preserving and advancing textile arts, Kathy continues to shape the industry through innovative brand strategies and creative vision.

Virginia Theerman, Curator of Historic Textiles, holds a Bachelor of Science Dual Degree in Art History and Design & Merchandising, as well as a Master of Arts from Fashion Institute of Technology in Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, and Museum Practice. With prior experience at the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art, she joined The Charleston Museum in April of 2020. Theerman cares for a collection of approximately 10,000 costume and textile objects, and her work encompasses the realms of traditional curatorship, as well as exhibition design and public programming. Her recent research subjects include 18th century samplers and fil-tire needlework.