June 20, 2009

Through a $1 million gift from The Charles Evans Foundation, the Westphal College has created the brand new Charles Evans Fashion Design Library and has established an award scholarship that will cover tuition costs for a Fashion Design student in their senior year. Formerly an undersized fashion design lab, the hi-tech library is now complete with computers, a flat-screen TV, forecasting materials, swatches, periodicals and resources for the study of fashion past, present and future. Ashley Pahler was awarded the first senior scholarship at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 9th in honor of Charles Evans, who died in 2007. Her scholarship will be used for tuition, fees and to support the creation of Ashley's senior collection development. The Charles Evans Fashion Library is located on the 4th floor of Nesbitt Hall (33rd & Market Sts.).

Charles Evans, founder of the fashion house Evan-Picone, had the idea of giving women's skirts a "menswear look' by putting zippers in the front. His successful company was a pioneer of assembly-line garment manufacturing, assigning different workers to sew hems, to add buttons, and to sew pocket darts. Charles Evans also founded a commercial real estate firm, The Evans Partnership, and was the producer of Hollywood movies, including the Oscar-winning film Tootsie.