The University of Alabama on Friday officially celebrated the opening of Drummond Lyon Hall.
UA faculty, students and alumni gathered at the new fashion and design facility to cut the ribbon on the three-story 25,000-square-foot building. The facility houses the College of Human Environmental Sciences’ fashion retailing and apparel design concentrations.
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Drummond Lyon Hall is named after 1986 alumna Terri Drummond Lyon, in honor of her support for the project. Lyon was present during the ceremony. Lyon attended Friday’s ceremony.
“We’re dedicating a new facility that really demonstrates the heart of this community for this university and most importantly, for our students at the University of Alabama,” said UA President Stuart Bell during Friday’s ceremony.
Bell gave special recognition to donors who made the project possible by raising a total of $4 million in charitable gifts.
The new fashion and design facility houses The Fashion Archive, which will be a collection of garment and textiles throughout history, along with a conservation laboratory, exhibition galleries, two cutting-edge studio classrooms, flex space for receptions or lectures and offices for fashion retailing and apparel design faculty.
UA senior Abby Saul said she is grateful for the new facility, which is tailored toward students studying fashion and design.
“It makes me feel like my major is just as important as other prominent majors,” Saul said.
“I think this building is a huge step for fashion here at the university and will allow me (and the other students with the same major) to continue to grow without worrying about having the necessary space or resources,” she said.
Brian Taylor, an instructor with the department of clothing, textiles and interior design, said Drummond Lyon Hall is designed to elevate and enrich the educational journey of UA students.
“Drummond Lyon Hall will be a space where learning thrives, where ideas come to life, where inspiration is found, and where legends are made,” Taylor said.
Drummond Lyon Hall is a part of a College of Human Environmental Sciences hub, which includes nearby Adams and Doster halls.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at [email protected].