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It is quite a challenge for me to explain why I like fashion design. As an introvert by nature, fashion became a communication platform that helped me to understand those around me, and in turn, reveal a part of me to them. I could surmise a person's personality and mood by what they were wearing. I like that fashion has that effect, and I also love that fashion has the ability to change a person's emotions or to boost their confidence. Fashion is compelling in terms of psychology and I find that extremely fascinating. I chose sportswear for my specialization because the diversity in that area is most aligned with my being. My design style follows a minimalistic aesthetic with a tendency towards structure and tailoring. To me, simplicity is key – my focus is on the well-thought-out details. I aim to design effortless elegance.

As a designer, I have always been inspired by menswear, particularly tailored garments and the internal construction details that feature immaculate finishes. Not only because it adds value, but it extends its life span. My objective is to make women feel powerful and confident in what they wear. Also, I want to have the freedom for the ability to explore further, to fantasize about concepts, textiles, and art.

Image 1: The inspiration of this garment is from a Henri Matisse painting. This photo focuses on the hat, which is an accessory. Red makes this look interesting and the feathers are a soft and flowing element to balance the whole look.

I have always been a creative open-minded person that loves to produce pieces of art that truly define women. I wanted to become a designer, because to me, fashion speaks volumes about our society, therefore giving me a voice that can be heard by many. I am a person that loves to see things come to life, and the use of color defines me as a designer. I would like to push for a sustainable fashion industry where clothing does not contribute to the destruction of our planet. Sportswear to me is the foundation of fashion. I love the fact that it includes pieces that can be worn during the day, yet can also include pieces that can be worn for nights on the town. Sportswear really has no limit in terms of design, silhouette, and feel. My design aesthetic is one that combines simplicity and experimentation in one.

As a child in New York, I dreamed of becoming a designer while watching Project Runway. I chose sportswear because I wanted to include both women's and men's styles. For my future brand, I want to create an androgynous collection that is never restrained by age or gender. I love combining contemporary art and graphic elements together with an unconventional twist. I would like my brand to be timeless. As a child, I always wanted to work in the art field. Watching my first catwalk, I decided that I wanted to become a fashion designer – due to the chemistry that is created between the models and the clothing. When I design collections, I always try to create a look that both my friends and I would love to wear. My aesthetic is to combine contemporary art and fashion and bring unexpected elements to the garments.

I am a first-generation immigrant of parents from Colombia. I am from New York where I have gratefully been exposed to a melting pot of communities. I've always had an appreciation and love for many forms of art such as fashion, music, photography, and dance. I was inspired by my mom since she used to make me clothes when I was little and taught me the basics of sewing. Fashion is a big part of how I express myself creatively through a tangible object that is essential. I enjoy combining patterns and colors to create a playful yet bold statement. What sets me aside from other designers is how I reflect my experiences onto my work. I chose sportswear because I gravitate towards the casual everyday look. I am drawn to the Edwardian era so I gravitate towards a vintage aesthetic, although I could be a bit maximalist at times.

Image 1: Natural masculinity.Exaggerated green and feathers express nature and femininity. The grey and the suit silhouette of the outfit is representative of masculinity.

I love making my designs come to life, creating beautiful pieces is my passion in life.

My interest in fashion design stems from my inherent pursuit of beauty. I love watching model runway shows, researching fashion magazines and appreciating beautiful clothes. Throughout these activities, I found that fashion design offers more than what I had envisioned. The way I see it, fashion design is a unique form used to extend personal interests and convey unique concepts and values to the outside world. I really enjoy this perfect balance between tradition and creativity. As for my specialization, I choose sportswear because it contains both day and evening fashion, making it possible to create a variety of designs. My design aesthetic is classic and modern with small, fun, and eye-catching details. In the future, I want to create my own brand and bring my designs to New York Fashion Week. This is an ambitious target, but I will strive to achieve it.

I design to redefine and break barriers within the industry. The customer I design for is an activist for change, they are unafraid to seek justice and voice their opinion. I chose sportswear because there are no real rules. I like to mix street with couture for a fresh spin on RTW. I would say my design aesthetic could be defined as "punk activism." In my thesis collection I drew inspiration from the gospel of Jesus Christ and the artist Banksy, and incorporated graffiti and bold graphics to communicate social and political messages. In reaction to recent hate crimes, the bold activist statements in my designs are intended to wake up and inspire youth to start a love revolution.

As a child, I always had a passion for fashion design. I started out at the age of seven making tissue dresses for my dolls, which I really enjoyed making. That is when I knew I was going to create fashion as soon as I was old enough. The reason why I design is because I want to make beautiful garments for women of all sizes. I chose sportswear because I love that it is very versatile and that you can design jackets, skirts, tops, and casual dresses in a fun and unique way. My aesthetic is very sexy. I love to incorporate a lot of cut outs and revealing looks to show a woman's body in a sexy way. I also love to use any type of fabric and experiment to make it look fun and cool.

I wanted to become a surgeon or a psychologist. I was told my hands were "special". Maybe because I am double-jointed, or because my mom thought I should pursue hand modeling. Art was always a constant in my life—a form of expression when I couldn't find the words, and when the words would not suffice. Creating became my identity and outlet. My work is usually hyper-detailed; embroidery is one of my preferred forms of art. It requires patience, intention, and precision. My "aesthetic" is divergent; it depends on the feelings I want to convey in a piece or collection. I am an adaptable designer, but I prefer to make a statement.

Growing up in a home where the arts were valued (my father was a graphic designer who later opened a pottery studio) drawing, painting and sculpting were always in the foreground. Trips to visit grandma were where I was first taught to sew, making handbags out of my old school uniform. From that point, I took a deeper interest in sewing and ultimately fashion. The morning ritual of coordinating my school outfit became an hour-long process, which often triggered emails to my parents from school scolding my lateness. While I was constantly told that "school was not a fashion show," it was to me. Freshman year of high school I decided to take Sunday morning pre-college classes at FIT. I continued to do that every semester of every year until I applied to enroll. My background in fine art inspires me to give everyday clothing a funky and playful twist.

I believe luxurious fashion does not have to originate solely from new materials. There are many ways we can creatively reuse and repurpose what we already have in the hopes of minimizing the impact that we make on the environment. When I design, I think about both wearability and longevity of the garment. I'm very much into outerwear and jackets, so I always knew that sportswear would be my specialization of choice. If I were to describe my design aesthetic in two words, it would be "City Cool". It's like streetwear meets luxury, but with an edge. As a very meticulous person, I pay close attention to quality seaming and believe that the devil is in fact, in the details.

I realized my interest in fashion design in the early days of high school. Despite studying in the sciences, I thought that fashion design was the ideal creative outlet for me. To me, being able to think numerically and logically, and being skilled in drawing, were some of the most important factors to being a good designer. I did my best to be included in ITU-FIT SUNY double degree program. At ITU, I learned to sew, drape, and prepare a collection. Then, I continued at FIT, and thanks to the unlimited possibilities, I further improved my sewing, draping, and design skills. When I graduate, I believe that I will be a very well-equipped, and confident fashion designer. I aim to design functional clothes that make people feel comfortable and confident when they wear them and to make people own artistic pieces that are thoughtfully designed.

Throughout my life, I always believed that everything has its own ''unique'' meaning. Everyone has memories that separate that person from everyone else, leading them to incomparable feelings. My curiosity about the meaning of these feelings has always pushed me to create designs and led me to become a fashion designer. My design journey starts with inspiration from these ''secret'' meanings. I reflect people's emotions in my designs to tell a story. Also, I always try to figure out the stories of architectural masterpieces around the world. When I see a fascinating architectural building, I analyze the shape and the height. Long buildings have vertical lines, and vertical lines represent grandeur. On the other side, horizontally shaped buildings indicate a sense of motionless rest. Also, colors have various meanings in different parts of the world. In South Africa, red represents mourning, but in Turkey, red represents love and passion. I want my designs to speak by using these many different ''secret'' meanings for us all to see.

Three years ago, I moved to New York from Ghana, West Africa, with hopes of learning more about fashion and people. Growing up, we moved often, and it was during our stay in Malawi that birthed my interest in fashion. Back home, creative fields were not deemed respectable and I was always told to focus on getting straight A's. In Malawi, extra-curricular activities were highly encouraged, and clubs like art, drama, and calligraphy were available to me. I learned to focus on my strengths, and designing was my strength. Fashion allows me to express myself freely through sketches and garments. It has given me a sense of sureness and I've grown bolder through it. Sportswear touches everything and gives me that freedom to master the basics and strongly move in every direction, which makes it easier for me to truly express myself in every way.

Ever since I was a child I was obsessed with fashion and DIY projects, mainly because my mother and I were immigrants and we didn't have excess money to buy the things I wanted, so I learned to make them myself. Eventually, my mother saw how serious I became so she taught me how to sew, and bought me my first sewing machine when I was thirteen, the rest is history! As a child, and even now, I don't have a specific aesthetic when it comes to my designs or the clothes I wear. Sometimes my designs are feminine, but at other times they are sporty or street-style influenced. I believe that the clothes we wear influence our mood, personality, confidence, and the way we interact with others, so when I'm designing that's what I think of – the mood, the feeling, and how I can convey that.

Image 1 & 2: The structure of the front of the jacket is created by overlaying different materials of the print fabric and drawing the cord.

My journey started as a 6-year-old girl from a small island. I was fascinated by fashion and art, spending hours drawing garments and daydreaming about becoming a fashion designer. I design because, in fashion, I find a unique opportunity for expression. I like to tell stories and transmit important messages through my art. Fashion can tell us about society, history, beauty, culture, and about the world; it is everywhere, but it is also a very personal experience and one that drives me. As a designer, my goal is to see my designs on the street, in daily life, in special moments, and worn differently by each individual. I want to see people use my pieces as a way to show what goes on inside of them, to share their authentic self or their alter egos. The creation is my personal experience, but wearing it will be their own.

Image 1: A monochrome look inspired by architecture with a diamond design. The top has a netting effect with elastic cord that creates a diamond shape. Underneath is a mesh top with ruched sleeves.

I always dreamed of attending the Fashion Institute of Technology. From a young age I taught myself how to illustrate and quickly became drawn to designing clothes. I was intrigued by fashion television shows and would sketch while I watched them. I was in an honors art class in middle school when a substitute teacher taught me how to draw a fashion croquis, and before I knew it, I was taking pre-college courses at FIT. Over the years, I have used design to express my innermost emotions, and often explore different ways to portray beauty in decay. I find inspiration almost anywhere but consistently look to rock music, the words of Edgar Allan Poe, and Yves Saint Laurent's designs of the '60s and '70s to capture my aesthetic. I have chosen a path in sportswear because my designs can vary from being casual to having touches of evening wear.

Daydreamer, Believer, Creator. These are the words that I embody. Designing for me is a cathartic experience, designing is healing, designing is powerful. In my mind, I am able to fantasize infinite possibilities. Possibilities that may even change the world of fashion, save the planet, or even make a difference in someone else's life. I believe in my ideals and I believe I can do it. My design aesthetic is dressy sportswear to special occasion. What is unique to me as a person and a designer, is my ability to bond with my concepts and garments. My creations are an extension of me. I create art.

Image 1: This collection screams "No!"

بچپن کی یادیں (Bachpan Ki Yaadein) translates to "childhood memories" from Urdu. This collection recounts the nostalgia behind treasured memories and random moments from our past that shape us. It is an intimate look into my own memories of growing up in Karachi, Pakistan. I am inspired by South East Asian culture and I hope to empower other South Asian creators. As a designer, I have always been inspired by personal experiences and creating pieces that hold a sentimental value and provoke emotion. This collection is an homage to the experiences that led me here and a statement of who I am as a female, Pakistani, Muslim designer, but more importantly as a human being. I work with traditional Desi fabrics and give them a playful, Western twist. Bachpan Ki Yaadein explores what it means to be a product of two cultures while embracing both.