When MA Historical Costume student Grace Allred moved across the Atlantic from Idaho to Dorset, she expected rich history and coastal views. What she didn’t expect was finding her defining creative piece in a small Irish vintage shop, a floral handkerchief that would connect her directly to 18th century heritage and the upcoming Fashioning Our World exhibition.

We caught up with Grace as she finished her postgraduate studies at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) to talk about her signature gown Flora’s Secret, sustainable sourcing, and her advice for international students.

What initially drew you from the US to study MA Historical Costume at AUB?

During my undergraduate degree in fashion design at Brigham Young University in Idaho, I took a theatre module and ended up working in the costume shop for a year and a half. I really fell in love with making clothing specific to characters.

One of the costume designers I’ve always admired is Jenny Beavan, who is an associate of AUB. I figured the nearest dedicated costume school to me back home was all the way in New York, so I thought, "I might as well cross the ocean!" I’d visited the UK once when I was 11 and it always felt like a dream to come back and study here.

How have you found adapting to life in the UK and living in Dorset?

It’s definitely different! I tell people it’s like the United States, but in a slightly different dimension. There are all these little things you don’t think about initially, like needing a coin for the supermarket trolley!

Coming from Idaho, which is completely landlocked, living right by the beach in Bournemouth has been wonderful. And taking day trips to places like Winchester to follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen, being in physical spaces where people lived hundreds of years ago, is something you just can’t get back home.

Can you tell us about the Fashioning Our World project and the brief you chose?

The project involves looking at historical clothing in museum archives and creating a response to it. I chose the creative response brief, which was such a fun opportunity as a designer. I went to Salisbury Museum and examined a gorgeous 18th century gown alongside some beautifully embroidered 18th century aprons. My task was to take those historic elements and turn them into a fresh, modern design.

What was the inspiration behind your garment, Flora’s Secret?

The name comes from Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. The design is really a love letter to the English garden. I was so inspired travelling around British villages and seeing timber-framed houses with roses growing up against the walls that I wanted to capture that simple, organic elegance and make a dress that looked like a garden come to life.

A dressmaker's mannequin wearing a pastel costume with a floral embroidered bodice, gold braid trim and a layered tulle skirt, with a decorative flower on the shoulder.

A dress form displays a pastel tulle gown with floral embroidery and rose decorations, set in a sewing studio with white cabinets and another mannequin in the background.

A floral fabric garment piece with red roses and green leaves is laid on a grey table, surrounded by small fabric swatches and scissors.

A dress form displays a long pastel gown with floral decorations and trailing ribbons, standing in a sewing room beside a second mannequin and white cabinets.

A woman in a floral, corset-style gown stands in a wooded setting with sunlit trees and greenery.

How did you approach the challenge of sustainable craftsmanship?

Sustainability was central to the project, which was a great challenge because I hadn’t made that the primary focus of a build before. It was much harder finding materials sustainably, but it makes the final piece so much more rewarding because of the thought and hand-crafting behind every element.

It forced me to be really resourceful. For example, the vintage centrepiece for the dress I found during our term break when I went to Ireland. I found a delicate vintage handkerchief with pink flowers in a local shop that reminded me of the Salisbury archive pieces. I took it back to uni, where another student, Scott, ran a workshop on historical embroidery techniques, which allowed me to hand-stitch an exact replica of the Salisbury 18th century motif directly onto the handkerchief.

I also used repurposed green silk that I found on campus for the bodice, and I hand-painted the fabric for the skirt using paintbrushes to give it the fluid, organic texture of flower petals.

Beyond your coursework, what other industry experience did you gain during your time at AUB?

I was able to join the wardrobe team at Dorset Opera this year for an intensive three-week programme. I worked directly with the opera doing fittings with performers, alterations and working backstage, which was just brilliant. I absolutely love that environment.

What’s next for you? Will you return for the exhibition in 2027?

I'm heading back to the US, hoping to work in major costume hubs like New York or California, doing wardrobe and costume work across different productions.

The Fashioning Our World exhibition opens at Salisbury Museum in February 2027, and part of me is so tempted to find a cheap flight back just to see my dress on display! Even if I can't make it in person, the course team will send videos. Having a piece exhibited in a museum is such a cool milestone, and the first time my work’s been in an exhibition too.

What advice would you give to other international students considering postgraduate study at AUB?

Be prepared for a much higher level of independence. In the US, higher education is very structured with set weekly tasks and schedules. Postgraduate study in the UK gives you complete professional autonomy. It’s an independent curriculum, so you really have to take ownership of your own research, push your boundaries, and drive your own growth.