Fashion is *** form of expression, but it is more than just fabric. It can weave together cultures, communities, and causes. Today will unfold how trendsetting designers use their platforms for more than just style, from celebrating their roots to empowering others and making waves in their communities. These fashion leaders craft stunning. Garments and they so change into society. Thanks for joining us. I'm Kelly Rippin. Our first collection of stories features designers who use their talents to celebrate their heritage and culture. In Pennsylvania, WGAL's Gabrielle Thomas explores the impressive journey of *** designer who incorporates vibrant stories into every garment. With two simple tools, *** needle and *** thread, Victoria Kagani Woodard hand makes and sews clothing inspired by her home country of Kenya. Ever since she was *** little girl, Woodard had *** fascination with fashion, but what she found in most stores didn't bring her inspiration or make her feel good. I was also *** very tall girl in school and I could never find anything that would fit me. Pants were too short. There was always something wrong with them, so I decided I was gonna take matters into my own hands and started making clothes for myself. As the years went by her talent spoke for itself, so her parents took *** chance on her dream. My parents sent me out here to be the best that I could be at, you know, what I do. So I ended up in Savannah College of Art and Design and then I moved uh to the Lehigh Valley area. Um, and I had always wanted to have *** shop. Just one plane ticket in more than 7500 miles away, Wooder turned her dreams into reality, and now we have something like this that uh. Uh, is inspired by, you know, my heritage. She has *** storefront full of items with different patterns and styles, all honoring her African heritage. It's just very different. You're not gonna find this at Macy's even with just marrying. My, uh, the African print fabrics with the uh Western silhouettes, people would come and take *** look at the beautiful clothes that I make, but also wanted to know so much more about where I came from, what I used to eat when I was growing up, what kind of music I listened to, and all of that. With the tap of the foot. And *** couple fittings later within *** period of 2 to 3 weeks I'm able to turn your outfit around, but it's not just the clothes on the racks that keep her going, it's the story behind each zipper, button, and *** piece of fabric. For the longest time we start the story with, you know, you were slaves, but there is so much more to us as *** people and I get to really. About why uh um it is important for us to go way back and talk about what why it was important for us to dress in this particular outfit, for example, this particular fabric for example. So it gives me an opportunity to continue to speak about the things that make me who I am. Woodard mentioned that she hopes through her garments she can continue to tell the history of. African American people, we have overcome so much and there's yet uh so much more work to be done and in doing this work that I do it is um uh *** *** soft rebellion of sorts that that we're still here no matter what happened to us we still keep moving forward so I come standing on so many other people's shoulders.