Brooke Cowan, BFA ‘25, named runner-up in NEXTILE challenge

Brooke Cowan, a senior pursuing a BFA in fashion design, was selected as the runner-up in the national NEXTILE Soy in Textiles Design Challenge organized by U.S. Soy. In its second year, the challenge provided competitors with a kit of soy products — including soy silk, soy cashmere, and more — and gave them three weeks to submit a usable textile. Cowan designed a Bio-vera clutch with accents, and as runner-up will receive a $500 scholarship.

Judges included representatives from design and textile industries, U.S. soybean farmers, and Qualified State Soybean Boards. They based their decision on several key areas, including originality, innovation, practicality, and execution.