BIO

HOW THE DREAM BEGAN

         When I was 5 I used to sit in front of the TV to watch Project Runway. While watching I would tear up my Barbie doll clothes to make new outfits for my dolls. I would use playdoh and tissues with hair ties when I ran out of fabric to use. Then I decided I wanted to attend an art school for fashion design and one day make it onto Project Runway to show at NY Fashion Week. When I was 10, my parents had had enough of me destroying clothing that already existed, so they bought me my first sewing machine with a pile of scrap fabrics. My grandmother then took me to sewing classes where I learned how to make quilts, doll clothes, and basic clothing for myself. These classes taught me the basic terminology behind sewing and how to operate a machine.

         When I was 12, I still had a love for fashion design, so my grandmother signed me up for a camp at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. This camp was designed for children to come in with a character in mind and create that character’s outfit. I decided to recreate the My Fair Lady’s “dress to the races.” We wore our designs down the runway at the end of the week and I was the show stopper. This black and white gown with the wide brimmed hat will always be my favorite of my creations. I was featured in the centerfold of Focus on the Coast magazine as the star student from UNCW’s costume design camp. The two-page feature including my sketch, images of me sewing with the instructor, and my final runway walk.

         In high school, I learned other art forms, the history of different art forms, and types of media. At this time, I was starting to wonder if pursuing a creative job in fashion was really what I wanted to do. My parents were engineers and stressed about my ability to make money in the future. I started looking into other fields, but I credit my instructor, Mr. Roncone for helping me stay with art. He allowed all of his students to experiment with ideas and media as far as our imagines would allow, but he would push us even further. I remember someone asking how to create a water color effect on her painting and him taping it to the pottery wheel so that she could throw paint while it spun. He taught me that there was no limit to creativity and that everything can be a piece of art if it has meaning.

        In high school, I took Mandarin Chinese every year and fell in love with the language and the culture. My family hosted two students, a girl and a boy, my junior year. I am still extremely close with the girl and call her my China sister. Her name is Yang, her life aspiration is to be a nurse and work for the United Nations. Now she attends Ohio State and stays with my family on holidays when she cannot go home. When I stayed with Yang at her home in China, she taught me about culture and social norms.

         My sophomore year of high school, I was discovered by Evolution Models & Talent Agency. I worked with the agency from March 2013 until December 2016 I had opportunities to appear in commercials, films, and audition regularly. My agency only made money if I earned my paycheck. I have learned in my experiences how to represent myself, communicate well with business people, and I have learned how to maintain a strong work ethic in the face of acceptance or rejection. I was offered jobs with agencies in New York and Los Angeles, but I chose to finish at my high school and attend college where I wanted.

          Everyone in my immediate family attended NCState University. Before I chose Auburn, I grew up believing that NCState was where I was going to end up. My junior year, I attended STEP (Summer Textiles Exploration Program) that taught students about the artistic, scientific, and business sides of the textile industry. The 100% denim, avant garde dress that I created that week won 2nd place at the NCState of Denim fashion show against freshman and sophomore NCState students.

            After applying to schools, I got into Michigan’s art department, SCAD for fashion, Kent State with a full scholarship, Florida State University for apparel, and Auburn University for Apparel Design & Production. I chose Auburn, because I wanted a school that had my major and minor combination, football, and had a huge focus on other majors like business and engineering. Auburn empowers the apparel students and teaches practical skills to survive in the always changing world of fashion not only from a design standpoint, but teaches about hundreds of possible jobs in the apparel field.

            I graduated from Auburn University with a BS in Apparel Design & Production Management with a minor in Asian Studies through Mandarin. Now, working towards my Masters of Fine Arts in Fashion Design at the Savannah College of Art and design. I received a scholarship to SCAD for my 2019 portfolio. I created this website in Fall of 2017 to keep track of my involvement with fashion and the industry. It continues to grow as I do.