Edessa School of Fashion—A Jewel Shining Bright In the Fashion World

By Kathy Gaillard

            Lynne Dixon-Speller has been sewing since she was nine years old, thanks to her paternal grandmother’s teaching. Even though she once aspired to become a dentist, she found her niche in the world of fashion and has never looked back.

Crediting her grandmother for her love of fashion, sewing and entrepreneurial spirit, Dixon-Speller earned a B.S. in Interior Design and Architectural Planning as well as a M.S. in Textiles and Clothing. Since then, she has taught at five institutions of higher learning: the University of Delaware, Mount Mary College, MATC, Art Institute of Wisconsin (Ai), and Edessa School of Fashion.

The founder, Academic Dean and Chair of Apparel Design Department of Edessa School of Fashion (named after her grandmother, Edessa Meek-Dixon), Dixon-Speller is a history maker, not just in Wisconsin, but the nation. In fact, three dresses she designed are housed and preserved within the Smithsonian Museum’s permanent collection in Washington, D.C. While that is a significant accomplishment, Dixon-Speller enjoys several other historical milestones, including being the only, NEW, four-year college to be approved in Wisconsin.

“All other colleges in the state have been grandfathered in and did not go through the rigorous application that we completed. It took more than three years to complete the application, write the curriculum, and ultimately receive state approval.  Since our initial approval, we have gone through this annual approval process three times, so we have become proficient at it,” said Dixon-Speller.

“When the Art Institute (Ai) closed I was basically running it, so a few dedicated faculty members and I began creating Edessa. It was a tedious process and not for the faint at heart, but we had so many supporters—librarians, financial aid professionals, attorneys, and other professionals—supporting and helping us overcome barriers, that we just kept moving forward,” said Dixon-Speller.

Dixon-Speller and her team’s determination paid off.

“Not only is Edessa School of Fashion open and functioning in Milwaukee’s Third Ward, but recently we became the only fashion school to take students to show during New York’s Fashion Week and Chicago’s Fashion Week. We have been asked to continue in these shows. We are the educational partner for New York Fashion Week Black. And industry representatives tell us that our show was the best show they’ve ever seen and we’ve only been open one year,” said an elated Dixon-Speller.

Instead of being disappointed or discouraged at the process to become the first four-year college in Wisconsin with minority leadership; the first designated fashion school in the Midwest; the first four-year college of fashion in the US with minority leadership; the first college in the state of Wisconsin named for a Black woman; and the first four-year to get through the State of WI for program approval, Dixon-Speller said the approval process made her team stronger through the heavily critiqued process.

            “Everything that can be thrown at us, was. I don’t think we know how to give up. If you can’t bring that level of persistence and preparedness, don’t start. My biggest regret is that I didn’t do this sooner, but I don’t think we were ready until now. God puts it in front of you when He know you are ready,” said Dixon-Speller.

            Edessa School of Fashion is ready, willing, and able, and we applaud the tenacity, creativity, and historical significance this diamond brings to Milwaukee.

Edessa School of Fashion is located at 191 N. Broadway in Milwaukee. For more information or to apply for school visit https://edessa.fashion/