Join us for a panel discussion featuring regional representatives from the creative, production, and retail sides of the fashion industry—including designer and entrepreneur Tessa Clark of OTR’s Idlewild; nonprofit CEO Shailah Maynard of the West End’s Sew Valley garment factory and incubator; and artist, educator, and author Amber Ostaszewski, president of the Weavers Guild of Cincinnati and board member of the Rust Belt Fibershed—as they examine themes that Elizabeth Hawes grappled with throughout her career in fashion and which remain relevant to us today. 

About the panelists: 

Tessa Clark earned a Bachelor of Science in Design from the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. In 2019, she competed as a designer on Project Runway Season 17, an experience that deepened her creative rigor and broadened her perspective on the fashion industry. 

For the past eight years, Tessa has owned and operated Idlewild, a multi-brand boutique located in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. With over 50 carefully curated labels, she has built a destination for discovering emerging and established designers from around the world, bringing a diverse and considered mix of fashion to the Midwest. Her buying is informed by a genuine understanding of how clothes are made, from design conception through production. With more than a decade of personal and editorial styling expertise, she is dedicated to building thoughtful, enduring wardrobes grounded in craftsmanship and intention. 

Shailah Maynard is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sew Valley, a nonprofit garment factory and incubator in Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood. With over 18 years of experience in the fashion industry, she is dedicated to building a more ethical and environmentally responsible apparel manufacturing industry, one that strengthens local economies while contributing to broader global sustainability efforts. Under her leadership, Sew Valley provides essential resources—including production services, space, equipment, and training—to apparel brands and entrepreneurs, empowering them to bring their designs to market responsibly. By integrating sustainable material sourcing, circular economy principles, and training opportunities, Shailah is bridging the gap between local impact and global change, creating scalable solutions that benefit both people and the planet. 

Amber Rose Ostaszewski is an artist, educator, and author who has been fascinated with textiles since childhood. She draws on her heritage to inspire her creative practice and is passionate about regenerative, natural materials, including processing and spinning fiber, natural dyes, and the creation of mindful, intentional textile work. Her work has been published with the New York Botanical Garden's Steere Herbarium, Wovenutopia, and PieceWork magazine. She recently has shown work at Wave Pool Gallery via the One Year, One Outfit Project as Artist in Residence with the Rust Belt Fibershed, taught at the National Education & Fiber Conference in Burlington, KY, Convergence in Wichita, KS presented by the Handweavers Guild of America, and regularly teaches at Sew Valley and the Weavers Guild in Cincinnati. She is the President of the Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati and a board member of the Rust Belt Fibershed.