Fashion Show Reflection: Trusting the Process

Hey everyone! First blog post I’ve done in a while! I had so much go on these last two months with fashion show and going abroad that I am still in disbelief it is already July! I wanted to talked a little about fashion show and what I have determined as I have had plenty of time to reflect and take in how much I will look back on this experience.

I can’t believe it’s been over two month since the O’more College fashion show and I got the opportunity to debut my junior collection “Delicate Wings”. This collection means so much to me because I dedicated to my family. I actually named the pieces after my family members because of how much they mean to me. My collection is a a series of evening wear looks for women with hypothyroidism, an autoimmune disease that causes an under active thyroid gland. My family has a medical history of it so I grew up knowing about it, but it shocked me when I found out that not many knew about it. So, I figured with my collection, I came up with an idea that not only would highlight how you don't have to give up comfort for fashion, but also bring awareness to something that not many people know about. This collection consisted of breathable, bright fabrics, adjustable closures, fun silhouettes, and many, many hours of studio time. It was so fun to see all the pieces come together, but challenging at times between making sure the design aligned with my customer. I also made it a goal to push myself to try new design techniques because I wanted to make sure that each piece was unique, but also kept that comfort aspect that is very important for women affected by hypothyroidism.

I went into my junior year, yet nervous for what I was going to design because it was a little overwhelming at times. Now, two months after fashion show, the one thing that I have learned is that everything will fall into place. I did everything in my power to make sure that my collection looked exacly how I wanted: from spending extra hours in the studio down to redoing alterations that I deemed could be better. Learning to trust the process helped me so much as once I had an idea, the creativity and production flowed so naturally. You can plan and prepare as much as you can but also being able to pivot and adapt when something happens was something I found to be very crucial during this process. In fact, the days where I decided things on a whim or stepped away from the machine for a refresh, were the days I was most productive and most proud of my work. Walking down that runway, side by side with collection, knowing that I had put my entire soul into my pieces lit a spark in me that made me want to become a designer.

So, for those who feel like they're stuck or are feeling overwhelmed by a project, I urge you to take a step back, take a deep breath, and think of the obstacle as part of the creative process. Changing a design or looking at a different angle might just make you love the project a little more and make it even better than what you planned.

With that said, I wanted to thank all my friends and family who were right along with me in this process and supported me from sketches to the actual show. Going into senior year, my confidence is as high as ever and I am so excited to share the process and journey of my next collection!

~S