About the Designer
Carline Thomas is an Alabama-born fashion designer whose work is rooted in heritage, resilience, and intentional femininity. Raised in Tuscaloosa, she learned the language of design early watching her grandmother draft patterns from newspapers and her mother construct garments by hand. By age nine, she was sewing; by adolescence, she was designing her own wardrobe, laying the foundation for a lifelong creative practice.
Formally trained in Fashion Design and later earning a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from Alabama A&M University, Carline bridges creative vision with brand strategy. Her early professional career as a Graphics Consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense sharpened her technical and visual communication skills, while fashion remained her constant creative pursuit.
After relocating to Atlanta, she launched her first womenswear business. In 2016, following a profound personal loss, she reintroduced her label under her birth name, Carlynn D™, a deliberate act of reclamation and authorship after years of mis recorded identity. The brand stands as both tribute and testament.
Her designs have garnered national and international recognition, including a custom purple cocktail dress for Miss Universe® Saint Lucia at the 2019 Miss Universe Pageant®. She has been featured by the Saint Lucia Fashion Council, served as a fashion design panelist for Georgia Military College, and continues to contribute to industry dialogue around brand development and creative sustainability.
Carline’s practice is grounded in service and education. She has led community-based fashion relief efforts, completed the Parsons x WWD Fashion Business Essentials program, and holds advanced business training in Applied Business Science and Digital Marketing through LSU Online. In 2024, she designed custom garments for ROUGE: A Go Red Event—The Silver Anniversary Collection, honoring Heart Health Month in partnership with the Central North Alabama Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
A consistent presence at New York Fashion Week, Carline remains deeply engaged with the global fashion ecosystem as she continues to refine a brand defined by meaning, mastery, and modern elegance.