This collection was designed apart of an art to wear project for one of my design courses right before COVID-19 made it's way through. I never really have a true meaning for any of my collections until I start sketching and I come to see something.
Once I started adding color to my sketches it reminded me as if dirt washing away and pureness coming through.
In my case, the dirt represented the past that had lingered, negative thoughts, failure, and more.
A back story to add, my freshman year started off all fun until I saw my grades began to slip, apart from that everything was going well.
My junior year of college, I had done something I shouldn't have but at the time I felt it was well deserved. In return karma really hit me back and had me at an all time low for the second time ever in my life.
I became depressed through the verbal abuse, living in a toxic environment with girls who weren't so nice anymore, my friends not buying my story and believing what I was actually going through. I was called dumb for being on academic probation and they always laughed it off; never really saw my bright side coming.
Starting off with a 1.87 GPA, not being able to take studio classes due to GPA, not being accepted by organizations, being looked down on by others really hit me.
I cried to bed every night for several months, I stayed in my room all day, stayed at the library until it closed, and would go without dinner some days too.
After a year when my apartment lease ended, I was able to finally move out with one of my good friends and finished my senior year out in an environment that was 1000X better.
All of sudden, opportunities erupted.
I went to New York on a study tour visiting corporate offices of Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Naeem Khan, and several other designers, I went to Europe to study abroad, designed and presented a sustainable garment at a school fashion show, I had an internship opportunity with a local designer, Research Fellowship opportunity with Cotton Incorporated, receiving dean's list/president's list scholars and more.
I learned to be patient, kind, and spiritual through all that I had gone through. I could not believe what I had overcome. I thought the day would never come but little did I know Better Days Were Coming. The past year and half of my life have been great and I couldn't be more happier with who I am today.
Soooo.....back to the collection. The beige ombré represents my past washing away as I grew to be a better person, the white represents the new opportunities that emerged making me a new person.
Better Days Are Coming.
