Fashion is all about elegance, poise, and beauty. People are interested in and dedicate their entire lives to the pursuit of beauty through fashion.
Now, people may read this and think, no, I could completely care less about anything related to fashion. And I will ask you this, then how did you choose to wear the shirt or pants you have on today?
Even if they are not a part of the latest, raging trend, the clothes and accessories you put on your body each and every day are an extension of yourself. Fashion is the way you express yourself to the world because let's face it: everyone judges a book by its cover. What you wear shows how you would like to be perceived, whether you wear leggings and a sweatshirt each day or a suit and tie.
I chose to study fashion because there is not anything else I am meant to be doing. I have always cared more about art, beauty, and history over algebra, chemistry, and logic.
I like the abstract and I like the hidden structure behind fashion. As a child, I would only play with my dolls to change their outfits. I spent more time scouring the catalogs showcasing limited edition holiday outfits than I actually did playing with my toys.
I think it's important to do nothing else in life but pursue your passion, and fashion is mine because it allows me to express myself and appreciate and draw upon the beauty and inspiration around us. I also interviewed some of my closest friends, some who are fashion design and merchandising majors, and some who are not, and here's what they had to say about the pursuit of fashion:
"I chose to study fashion design because I think that the fashion industry has the capability to become so much more than it is. Clothes not only have become an essential part of everyone's daily life, but also a confidence booster. My ultimate goal [as a designer] in the industry is to create clothing that excites women and makes them feel beautiful--no matter their age, body type or race, and to empower them to change our world while looking good doing so. Fashion gives me a purpose, a dream, a mission, and that is why I have chosen to pursue it." --Isabel Holden, Marist College Fashion Design Class of 2020
"My whole life I had been on the track to study science. I was going to become a veterinarian, but during a school trip my junior year of high school, I visited Florence and Switzerland and fell in love with travel and the arts. It took me awhile to settle on fashion [as a major] specifically, but I started taking sewing classes and I was also modeling at the time, and I truly realized how important fashion was to me. I decided merchandising is the route I wanted to take more than design because I love my promotion concentration." -- Rebecca Cole, Marist College Fashion Merchandising Class of 2020
"I think it takes a lot of commitment to major in something such as fashion and I commend those who do because it's not really a field in which you can easily find a place of employment. It takes a lot of passion and I think the people who do stick with it obviously are very dedicated to the field. Fashion majors to me are unique and creative individuals that aren't afraid to be bold or stand out." --Sonia Ikram, Marist College Business Administration Finance Class of 2020
"Creativity jumps straight to mind obviously, it's just so not a mind set that I have, and I find it incredible to see some of the innovations that come out of the Marist program. Even watching my friend, Isabel Holden, design, it's truly an incredible process. I think it shows long hours of dedication and patience." --Megan Clarke, Marist College Psychology Class of 2020
As you can see from students' opinions, fashion is viewed as a craft, a fine art that takes years to perfect, and it's true. Designers dedicate their lives to the craft; they are constantly drawing upon inspiration around them and reflecting it through their works.
There is a reason that everyone knows the names Gucci, Coco Chanel, and Prada, just to name a few. It is because these fashion houses and designers have left legacies that go beyond their years on Earth; they become a fixture in life, a beacon of light for young, creative minds who also want to transform the beauty in the world.
