I didn’t care about fashion until I learned about art. It was in my third year of completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2018 as I was researching church facades for my next assignment that I came across couturier Guo Pei’s Fall 2018 collection. To me, that was an awakening because it was the first time I had seen such a stunning and seamless fusion of architecture and fashion. I was mesmerized by the sculptural, glittering gowns and ornate embroideries that blurred the boundary between fashion, fantasy, and architecture. It was from then on that I became obsessed with couture designs and began to view fashion not only as a function but as wearable art. After graduating in the spring of 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Missouri- St. Louis, I decided to further my education and go back to school for fashion design. To prepare for fashion school, I whipped out my family’s old sewing machine and started modifying my own clothes. I would give new life to them by ripping apart, stitching together, cropping, and transforming them into new garments. I began volunteering at my local community sewing room, sorting fabrics and organizing display shelves all while practicing my sewing any chance I could. I also started working on theater productions with the costume crew at my local creative arts center where I assisted with costume maintenance and costume changes. I read books about fashion history and pattern making, continued upcycling my clothes, progressed to more advanced sewing projects, and researched my favorite fashion designers and studied their design processes, all while developing my ideas and aesthetic as a designer and artist. During these activities, I discovered my future life goals. I want to be a designer that challenges the constraints of reality by incorporating materials that could change shape, form, or color while being worn and combining this with my drawing and painting skills from my fine arts background. My goal is to make fashion more sustainable by experimenting with biomaterials and inventing new techniques and textiles in the design process that will minimize fabric waste and reduce the fashion industry’s harmful impact on climate change. To reach these goals I knew that I needed to study at a school that could nurture my creativity and challenge me as an artist. In September of 2022, I applied for the fashion design associate's degree program at one of the top design schools in America, Parsons School of Design, and in mid-March of this year I was accepted into the program. The money awarded from this scholarship will go towards my future education in New York at Parsons. Tuition, housing, and living expenses add up to more student debt, and winning the scholarship can relieve some of the financial pressures of higher education. In addition to this, being awarded this scholarship would be a personal achievement that could be added to my resume, reflecting my hard work and passion for achieving my career goals. Fashion has been at the forefront of my life since 2018 and has become more than just a hobby, it has become my life’s pursuit. Deciding to go back to school to pursue a degree in fashion was highly ambitious and not an easy decision, especially with already having student loans from earning my bachelor’s degree, but I know that the opportunity I have to study fashion at Parsons is a blessing I can’t let pass by. I know that with this scholarship, my dreams of succeeding at Parsons can become reality, making the experience genuinely priceless.

The dream version of my future self is a couture fashion designer who designs sustainably and with diversity, and who lives a life filled with love and creativity.

I didn’t care about fashion until I learned about art. It was in my third year of completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2018 as I was researching church facades for my next assignment that I came across couturier Guo Pei’s Fall 2018 collection. To me, that was an awakening because it was the first time I had seen such a stunning and seamless fusion of architecture and fashion. I was mesmerized by the sculptural, glittering gowns and ornate embroideries that blurred the boundary between fashion, fantasy, and architecture. It was from then on that I became obsessed with couture designs and began to view fashion not only as a function but as wearable art. After graduating in the spring of 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Missouri- St. Louis, I decided to further my education and go back to school for fashion design. To prepare for fashion school, I whipped out my family’s old sewing machine and started modifying my own clothes. I would give new life to them by ripping apart, stitching together, cropping, and transforming them into new garments. I began volunteering at my local community sewing room, sorting fabrics and organizing display shelves all while practicing my sewing any chance I could. I also started working on theater productions with the costume crew at my local creative arts center where I assisted with costume maintenance and costume changes. I read books about fashion history and pattern making, continued upcycling my own clothes, progressed to more advanced sewing projects, and researched my favorite fashion designers and studied their design processes, all while developing my ideas and aesthetic as a designer and artist. It was during these activities that I discovered my dream. I want to be a designer that challenges the constraints of reality by incorporating materials that could change shape, form, or color while being worn and combining this with my drawing and painting skills from my fine arts background. My dream is to make fashion more sustainable by experimenting with biomaterials and inventing new techniques and textiles in the design process that will minimize fabric waste and reduce the fashion industry’s harmful impact on climate change. To reach these goals I knew that I needed to study at a school that could nurture my creativity and challenge me as an artist. In September of 2022, I applied for the fashion design associate's degree program at one of the top design schools in America, Parsons School of Design, and in mid-March of this year, I was accepted into the program. Fashion has been at the forefront of my life since 2018 and has become more than just a hobby, it has become my life’ dream. It was my self-discipline, determination, and passion that guided me in my fashion design journey, which led me to where I am today. I know that with this scholarship, my dreams of succeeding at Parsons can become reality, making the experience genuinely priceless.

There is no denying that the fashion industry causes significant harm to our environment and contributes to climate change. Fashion creates ten percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally. Millions of trees are cut down to produce fabrics such as rayon and viscose, and tons of millions of garments are dumped in landfills or burned each year. This causes significant environmental damage and as a result, communities of color are disproportionately affected. When I decided to further my education and go back to school for fashion design, I knew that I would be contributing to fashion’s harmful impact on our environment. So when choosing a school, I knew I wanted to attend a university that includes sustainability practices in the curriculum. Ultimately, I decided to apply to Parsons School of Design, a university that prioritizes innovation through sustainability. During my education at Parsons, I plan to incorporate sustainability into every step of the design process using their cutting-edge creating facilities. I want to create and experiment with biodegradable materials and repurposed fabrics to invent new textiles that are more sustainable and can be reused. I also want to create zero-waste garments to minimize the textile waste that contributes to tons of fabrics in landfills. In addition to this, I plan to experiment with natural fabric dyes and generative designs that make it possible to design and innovate without producing unnecessary fabric waste. I am inspired by couture designers like Iris van Herpen that utilize technological innovations such as 3D printing and laser cutting to create garments and textile materials. Utilizing these technologies and types of materials can push the boundaries of my craft and creativity and can move the fashion industry forward in regards to being more mindful of the purpose and impact of our work. I am passionate about making fashion more sustainable, and it starts with me taking responsibility to be the change in my future design career and making the conscious decision to understand and research the origins of the materials I design with and where they go after I have used them. In my own personal sewing projects, I have always been mindful of using all fabric scraps and materials and upcycling the clothes I already own rather than buying new clothes and fabrics. By doing this, I am setting the standard of what my design process will be when I work as a fashion designer in my future career. Getting an education where I have the freedom and space to experiment with ethical fashion design will make a positive change for the fashion industry’s climate footprint. When we design with sustainability in mind, the result is a positive change and a cleaner future for all life on Earth.