MUNCIE — The spring rainy season was the perfect time for a group of Ball State University fashion majors to debut a special project they've been working on this semester.
What would you choose if you had the opportunity to pick out your perfect raincoat?
A group of Muncie residents who use wheelchairs on a daily basis had the chance to do just that, thanks to a project in Jinhee Nam's functional fashion design class.
The 13 students were partnered with 10 Muncie residents who spend time at Hillcroft Services, 501 W. Air Park Drive.
The students spent a month of the semester getting to know their clients, taking their measurements, and designing their client's ideal, practical raincoat.
On Tuesday, the clients were presented with their new, custom-designed raincoats during an afternoon presentation at Hillcroft.
Fashion merchandising junior Michaela Muench, 21, knew what her client Courtney wanted from the get-go. "She wanted pink, everything pink," Muench said. "I just did solid pink in the front and on the lining."
Courtney visits Hillcroft every day, which provides residential, employment, and community support services to individuals with disabilities in several counties in East Central Indiana.
She was very pleased with her new raincoat, made from nylon fabric.
"Seeing her face today, it was really rewarding," Muench said.