Marissa Collections Scholarship

What's the difference between a fantasy and a lie? Some poor souls only perceptive to one shade of gray would tell you there is none—that lie and fantasy have as much of a distinction as burning or drowning, both of which they would endure more easily than a fiction novel or musical. How odd, then, that only a small minority of them walk through life naked. Fashion, like any form of art, has always been concerned with fantasy. The idea is to let someone be someone else, and somewhere else, for a moment. When I was younger and more mobile, I could find that feeling in the right T-shirt and skirt. I was already fighting with my dad to wear non-monochromatic color schemes when I was six. Three years later I got my hands on my first fashion magazine, and the jolt I felt reading that old issue of Seventeen has sustained me ever since. That same year I designed my own dress for my birthday, based on the ball gown from A Cinderella Story. Though I didn't get a grand entrance into a ballroom like Hillary Duff, I did get that feeling of joy again. It was when I saw the photos that something changed. I felt elegant. It never occurred to me that my shoulders were awkwardly hunched, or that my walker was blocking most of the details on my skirt. I felt fluid and graceful, not like the stiff and clumsy kid I saw when the video played back at me. It made a lot more sense then. Dress shoes made to fit my feet were impossible to find, and the elevator into most buildings was at the back, far away from that grand staircase. Because a dress is not just a dress. It's a beautiful woman walking through Central Park on a windy day, or a shipwrecked noble stitching together a party dress made from rags. It seems then that the difference between a fantasy and a lie is immersion into the story. A body like mine contributed what an author might call an underdeveloped character. If I can't walk down them, the train will not cascade down the stairs and the pearls won't fall just right, everything is a little off. That kind of image doesn't feel real on an imperfect body. It's a lie, not a fantasy. But what if feeling real isn't the point? Elsa Schiaperelli asked herself that and the result was something delightfully subversive. She didn't pad her dresses for a rounder derriere, she stuck out the ribs and the spine. Golden insects crawled across the chest and swinging acrobats held the closures in place. She created a fantasy yes, but with an imperfection and an ugliness to it. A little off, like the image I present to others. But intentionally so, and that creates an aesthetic someone like me can find a home in. I'm not going to try to assign some sort of agenda to her work. I have no reason to believe that she did it out of some sort of contemporary notion of inclusivity. But I do know that whether she did it with me in mind or not, she created something different. In a world of gray flannel suits and Letty Lynton dresses, she made something a little less perfect and there's a reassurance in that. If someone could make bugs, organs and bones into something beautiful, then maybe a girl in a wheelchair dancing the night away in a beautiful gown isn't such a far off thought after all.

“I feel so happy when I am making clothes that I could just jump up and down with joy” - Ann Lowe. Joy is the exact feeling I experience when I bring my designs to life. Sewing brings immense pleasure to my life, and it works hand in hand with my passion for helping others embrace their beauty and individuality. These same things have been said by the fashion designer that embodies what I want to accomplish, whose legacy I hope to uplift, and how I hope to change history and be remembered. Ann Lowe was not just fundamental to fashion history but also to the history of Black women. But her name is seldom heard and her impact is often overlooked. In the past, Black women’s accomplishments have not been given enough appreciation. The mere fact that Black fashion designers even exist still shocks many people today. This is the world we live in, but there has been a shift for the better. Seeing representation for marginal groups within the field has been on the rise, but to truly understand the feats they make today, one must first appreciate the women that unlocked the door for us. Ann Cole Lowe is my favorite fashion designer because she was successful in dressmaking despite the harsh racial barriers placed upon her. Her progress and prosperity make her the first notable African American fashion designer. Ann’s work still leaves me awestricken as an aspiring Black evening wear designer. Her use of colors, handcrafted floral embellishments, and fine fabrics bring so much inspiration to my work. Like Ann, my mother and grandmother taught me the basics of sewing. From there my craft flourished from clothing for my dolls, as a young girl, to my evening wear designs, as an undergraduate Apparel Design Major. Her upbringing and journey continue to motivate me to chase my dreams. She exhibited to society that the color of her skin is uncorrelated to her potential and her capability to construct exquisite gowns. She was well known for her one-of-a-kind floral designs, as well as, the renowned wedding dress of Jacqueline Kenndy. As both a Black businesswoman and couturier, Ann excelled in spaces deemed "unacceptable" for her "kind" and became favored by wealthy and socially prominent women from the 1920s to the 1960s. Her many achievements set her as a role model, game-changer, and trailblazer, who paved the way for modern-day Black designers. My love for the industry comes from my passion for sewing & its capacity to bring dreams to reality. I love how the purpose of the industry is to provide pieces that showcase who the wearer is & what messages they want to share with the world. The impact of clothing goes further than the surface because in its essence it’s a form of nonverbal communication. We communicate through our clothing and about our clothing, even when we try not to. Whether in conversation with each other or scrolling through social media, our minds establish messages based on what an individual wears. That in itself is astounding, a simple piece of cloth that I stitch can hold so much power. That power of clothing is unfathomable because the possibilities are endless. That’s why I love the industry because it’s a pathway for people to be themselves, by expressing their truest form - their identity.

“Happiness is the secret to all beauty. There is no beauty without happiness,” Christian Dior. Wearing something I love brings me much joy. I grew up Christian, and finding clothing that was both comfortable and modest was always the most significant difficulty, and often I would end up unhappy. I’ve grown into myself in the past two years and have found these delightful clothes that bring me joy, some of which I made myself. Making my clothing has been simple, but I feel this extra joyous moment anytime I put on my creation rather than something I buy at the store. When I was 11, my dad remarried my stepmom, who had two older daughters. My stepsisters were obsessed with looks and clothes. I, on the other hand, could not have cared less. As I got older, though, I grew interested in sewing, and when none of my family would show me how, I did it on my own. My first dress had so many things wrong with it, yet I couldn’t help but feel proud of it. My mom then began to show me the ropes. We went to Hobby Lobby, and I picked a pattern and some fabric. That dress still fits like a charm. I started to get into art in middle school. I slowly started to grasp just how vast the art world is through social media. When I got my Instagram account, I found these other young ladies, just like me, that were making these colossal princess gowns. Designers like Asta Darling, Rosie Somerville (valentinemoon), Nylea Winter, Alexandra Louise, and Cresent Shay have stirred up this desire within me to make something of myself. To make something of all my fabric lying around. To dust off my sewing machine. These ladies have lit a passion for fashion design heavily, but surprisingly, my feminist self has found that my favorite creations were originals of the man Christian Dior. The haute couture collection of fall/winter 1949 was pure genius. Junon and Venus deserve recognition outside of the fashion world. Dior took a gorgeous creature and made gorgeous gowns, and that makes me wonder what else could become something great. Every day, I wake up and choose an outfit to show my feelings. Subtlety lets me fade into the background, but bright, bold colors like red and yellow allow me the opportunity to stand out against a crowd. I can choose to make a difference in this world by thrifting or avoiding fast fashion. As Rachel Zoe said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”

Fashion is a universal language, and no one is immune to its influence. It is this ubiquity, this potential to reach many people that appeals to me about the fashion industry. Fashion can be used to impact lives and has the potential to inspire the inquisitive imagination within all of us. This latter point is why I find Alexander McQueen’s work admirable. His ethereal designs and surreal style always leave the viewer in awe. As an artist, I am always looking for ways to tell peoples’ stories, to be a voice for the voiceless. There is a woeful misconception that fashion is solely concerned with glamour, but it is much more. Fashion allows the creator, through various construction techniques and combinations of colors, to speak on social issues, evoking emotions and eliciting memories. It is the artist’s own voice, used to share the lens through which they observe the world. Moreover, fashion allows the artist to explore the unique perspectives of others, helping to bring their plights and experiences forward. This potential fashion possesses to bring about positive change in human lives is huge. In recent years there have been efforts to mitigate the exploitation of workers and unsustainable practices in the industry. This trend in valuing worker experiences encourages me as I pursue a career in the industry. Furthermore, fashion is unique in that it can completely alter a person’s attitude; it affects how one engages with the world and how they perceive themselves. One of the best moments of the design process, in my opinion, is the moment when a client dons the creation and cannot stop smiling at themselves in the mirror. That is the power of fashion: It can bring confidence to the wearer or completely drain them of it. A designer whose work I believe reflects many of fashion’s admirable attributes is Alexander McQueen. He was a masterful storyteller, talented craftsman, and design rebel. He inspired wonder without words and could transport viewers to another place and time with just the way he crafted clothes. His otherworldly designs inspire the imaginative child within me, stirring up unabashed wonder. I also appreciate his way of using design to speak on issues that mattered to him. His use of unconventional materials and construction techniques was truly commendable and challenges me to approach the design process with an open mind. In summary, I chose to pursue a degree in fashion design because of the opportunity to change people’s lives for the better. Fashion helps one speak without words and make their intentions known without moving their lips. In creative fashion expression, there is no room for boredom. The industry is constantly evolving, utilizing modern technology to create new possibilities. Finally, fashion will be a way for me to show the modern woman that she is beautiful in her natural body. I hope to use my unique voice to bring confidence and joy to people from all backgrounds.

When visualizing a tangible product that transcends time changes, I am mentally directed to my pink leather jacket I received when I was 5. Although I was merely 5 years old, the jacket was a representation of my interests, personality, and values. This is the beauty of the timeless essence of the fashion industry and clothing. A story can be told through individual fashion choices and can be unreplicable pertaining to the person. As much as I like to praise my pink leather jacket, my true love of fashion stemmed from a young age and the encouragement of my parents to express myself through clothing. I was able to wear anything from an unconventional tutu dress to go grocery shopping to plaid pants and a graphic tee. I was unaware at the time that the small clothing choices I was making in the mornings would lead me towards my future. In the future, my goal is to be able to conceptualize high-functioning ideas into physical designs. I envision myself inspiring change by pushing the boundaries of societal expectations through the fashion advertising and marketing industry. To achieve this, I have chosen to go to Parsons New School of Design in New York from here I hope to continue my passion for the fashion industry. Fashion is the very definition of oneself. Although clothing belongs to the people, there are designers behind the multitude of products we see today. As Issac Mizrah puts it, “I don't like people to feel completely described by the clothes they wear of mine. I want them to feel that they're describing themselves.” Issac Mizrah is an inspiration for my creativity and artistry. My first introduction to Issac Mizrah was through a Ted Talk he hosted which explained the array of inspirations for his designs. When viewing it, I was instantly drawn to his sporadic and impulsive train of thought. A true designer can take inspiration from the most minute aspect of life which Mizrah does in his work. He has become a staple in my creative journey to not always preplan a specific design but to let my surroundings inspire new artistic ventures. Likewise, Stacy Bendet, owner of Alice and Olivia, has become a key fashion inspiration in my life because of her genuine passion for design. Alice and Olivia is one of my favorite brands because of their unique and bold patterns. Stacy Bendet explained in an interview that she started from humble beginnings and built her business from the ground up. Bendet never planned on creating the industry that she has but instead started designing due to her passion to create. She has stated, “I love creating and being able to see an idea come to fruition. I love making beautiful things.” Bendet encourages me to never lose sight of my love and appreciation for the beauty of my designs. Although the fashion industry can be rigid, Stacy Bendet has taught me to remember my roots and passions. The aforementioned designers collectively exposed me to new opportunities that will aid my growth when I enter the fashion industry.