Ten Marymount University students participated in a once-in-a- lifetime fashion education workshop with First Lady Michelle Obama and industry icons such as Vogue magazine Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and designer Jason Wu, a favorite of the First Lady.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093It was really amazing,\u0094 said Priscilla Gillis, a sophomore fashion design major from Nokesville. \u0093I was working on my design and she came up and touched my shoulder and said, \u0091Oh, my gosh, these designs are amazing!\u0092 The First Lady really made a personal connection and made us feel like we were already professional designers.\u0094
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The five-hour event on October 8 brought together high school and university students, 35 designers, editors and \u0093fashion technologists\u0094 and included a luncheon where the First Lady spoke and a panel discussion was moderated by designer Diane Von Furstenberg. It was part of the First Lady\u0092s \u0093Reach Higher\u0094 project, whose goal is to inspire high school students to make a commitment to higher education.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093A solid education and the willingness to work hard are really at the core of what it\u0092s really going to take to reach your goals,\u0094 Obama told those attending.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Janice Ellinwood, chair of Marymount\u0092s Department of Fashion and Merchandising, said students who came within arm\u0092s reach of the First Lady were very affected and starry eyed.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093It was a once-in-a-lifetime event to have all of that talent under one roof and a First Lady who values the potential of these students,\u0094 Ellinwood said. Typically, she added, a student could hope for access to one top designer \u0096 or at most, a panel of four or five.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kayla Young, a sophomore fashion merchandising major from Clinton, Md., said jewelry designer Alexis Bittar began selling his wares on the streets of New York and now has collections in 34 countries.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093He really inspired no-name designers like us,\u0094 she said. \u0093He started his entire company from scratch and now has 415 employees.\u0094
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shawn Banks, a freshman fashion merchandising major from Clinton, Md., said fashion designer Phillip Lim stressed the importance of \u0093going with your gut instincts\u0094 and that inspiration can come from anywhere. Lim talked about how he once gained great inspiration in a biology class.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kyana Hallacher, a sophomore design major from Fairfax, picked up pointers from fashion designer Lela Rose and suggestions on what to look for in an internship.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093She said being kind goes a long way in the fashion industry,\u0094 Hallacher said, adding that she now has Rose\u0092s business card and will pursue a possible internship opportunity with the New York-based designer.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Other Marymount participants included fashion design students Taylor Fitzgerald of Bridgewater; Christian Cox, Norfolk; and Gabrielle Andries, Washington, D.C., along with fashion merchandising students Roshana Coleridge, Greenbelt, Md.; Angelic Britton, Hyattsville, Md.; and Daryl Frierson, Prince George. All are freshmen or sophomores.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093This opportunity demonstrates that Marymount\u0092s fashion programs are considered to be venues through which students can reach professional status \u0097 and that observation travels by word of mouth,\u0094 Ellinwood said.
\nFrom what the students described, she added, the event was a credit to all the fashion professionals who participated.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093They tried in earnest to show how they began their careers \u0097 at the same level the students are now,\u0094 Ellinwood said. \u0093They were truly generous in their desire to bring others into the fashion industry.\u0094<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ten Marymount University students participated in a once-in-a- lifetime fashion education workshop with First Lady Michelle Obama and industry icons such as Vogue magazine Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and designer Jason Wu, a favorite of the First Lady. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u0093It was really amazing,\u0094 said Priscilla Gillis, a sophomore fashion design major from Nokesville. \u0093I was working […]<\/p>\n