Thank you O’More
My experience as a fashion student at the O’More College of Architecture and Design at Belmont University has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. I started my fashion career as a freshman with little to no knowledge about the fashion industry and what it meant to be a fashion designer. I originally decided to become a fashion design major because I grew up with sensory issues, especially in clothing, due to being born preterm. I couldn’t wear jeans until middle school because the feeling of tight denim against my skin made my body physically cringe. Growing up and trying to be fashionable in a world of uncomfortable and oddly cut clothing that was not inclusive of my sensory issues and body type was nearly impossible. As a kid, I would read Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor and fantasized about dressing like Nancy and creating outfits that sparked the same amount of joy that she gave me.
Freshman year I was terrified of sewing on the industrial JUKI machine and my wonderful professor, Nathan Chapman, threw me in headfirst learning how to thread and sew my sample patterns. I am not going to lie, I had to rewatch how to thread a JUKI machine way too many times during my freshman year to remember how to do it properly. I was constantly confused about which steps were next during all my construction classes and would ask for help every 10 minutes. I was worried that I wasn’t good enough to be in the fashion department compared to my classmates. However, I grew up playing volleyball from the age of seven. My late volleyball club director, Greg Watts, taught me from the age of 11 that you never quit. I had a notecard taped to my bathroom mirror for years that Greg gave me that read, “ Never Quit”, and I was not going to let him down by quitting because things were hard. Even though I was no longer on the volleyball court and I was in front of a sewing machine, the same principle applied. I continued to ask questions and stay late after class, trying to perfect my techniques and learn on my own.
By the time Sophomore year rolled around, I was so much more confident in my abilities. At this time I had my professors multiple times and had grown a strong relationship with the majority of them. I had a support system of teachers and students that gave me a new passion for my creativity. I had just started my Fashion Technology class and was learning how to use Adobe Illustrator. In the beginning, it was awful. I was at a loss for how to operate this program. My professor was strict and she was a ruthless grader. As a student who strives for all A’s and a perfect GPA, I was not about to let a computer program get the best of me. I watched video after video, learning the ins and outs of Illustrator. I would spend hours on the program drawing and bettering my skills. My computer battery and posture were dwindling but my grades and proficiency in Adobe were rising. All-nighters finishing projects and a caffeine addiction on the rise, all of my hard work was paying off. I won a competition for my Final project in Fashion Technology 1, which was judged by a panel of three professionals in the fashion industry. I was so shocked by my win and was so excited at the prospect that I was capable of so much more than I once believed. Yet again in Fashion Technology 2, I had the challenge of creating a capsule collection with Chloe Claudelle for the new Belmont Store. A handful of our designs were chosen to be printed and now they are being sold in the Belmont Store. To see my work come to life and have that amazing opportunity is truly something that could only happen at Belmont and I am so grateful for that experience. I have found a new love for merchandise and the graphic design element of fashion. I would love to design merch for Dream Branding and Revolt see my designs on people and make them feel as special as I do when I wear my merch.
The O’More Fashion Show was also a one-of-a-kind experience to be a part of. I had two looks go down the runway as a sophomore. I got to work in different teams for both outfits and the whole process from conceptualizing a collection with my classmates, learning how to drape a pattern, picking out fabrics, spending late nights in the sewing lab crying over zippers and broken needles, fitting and alterations, to working backstage and seeing your designs go down the runway, was a surreal experience that I am so much stronger for.
Currently, I am in the beginning stages of creating my Junior collection for the fashion show. The theme for the junior collections is “underserved markets”. My underserved market is for people with Anxiety who are neurodivergent and need a way to efficiently and safely self-soothe in public. I am bringing full circle to why I originally joined the fashion program and making sensory-friendly garments that make someone feel amazing and fashionable. I am unbelievably excited to see how this challenges me and to see my hard work yet again walk down the runway.
To put it plainly, I am extremely grateful for all the amazing professors, classmates, and opportunities that O’More has given me. It has been hard and mentally and physically draining but I am so happy for it. This major is not for the weak and I am armed with the support of my friends, family, teachers, and past mentors to make my dream a reality.
