I grew up in a home where fashion was so natural that it was instinctive. I was always fascinated by the drapery and texture of different fabrics. So, as you would expect, dress-up was my favorite game to play when my friends came over, but not with clothes, with the fabric scraps that we kept in the basket in my basement. At age seven, my mother was teaching me how to use a sewing machine. Even before that I was always intrigued by the way she would sew intricately detailed skirts and dresses, always adding her own eye-catching embellishments. Everything I wore made a statement, whether it was a voluminous faux fur coat, or a denim skirt decorated in appliqués and sequins. I can tell by the way that my peers would look at me that they never understood my style. At a very young age I had developed a deep understanding and passion for fashion. I knew what I wanted to look like, and the impact I wanted to have on people, so nothing stopped me from being an individual.
When I turned eight, I not only had a developed analysis on fashion, but I also wanted to pursue fashion as a business. I was a little entrepreneur; I started off by selling my denim bags to my peers. I recycled an old pair of jeans and turned them into handbags, garnishing and beautifying them with rhinestones, appliqués, gros-grain ribbon, and marker designs. That summer in day camp I earned around $250 selling bags. Even at that point in my life I kept an organized folder and spreadsheet that tracked how many bags I had made and sold, and to whom. A year later I started a custom tie-dye company. I tie-dyed anything that was white and in sight. My favorite things to tie-dye were my Mom’s and Dad’s nice white blouses. Every time they went out wearing them they would get compliments and questions like, “Since when did Ralph Lauren start a tie dye collection, I love it!” And the answer would always be, “Oh, my daughter…” And that’s where my next lucrative business began. When I was twelve, I took my first trip to Fortieth Street. Not just to view the fabric shops, but to buy the fabric for my bat-mitzvah dress. White silk chantung and pink tulle. I tie-dyed the chantung and went to a dressmaker with my design.
As a child I would constantly find that sketching, drawing, and painting were the most invigorating experiences. I was sucked into the art world. I had quite a few sketchbooks, and way too many watercolor sets. Recently, I progressed to the three dimensional aspect of the fashion world. I had a basic understanding of the sewing machine from when I was younger, but I have now learned to sew clothing. I can finally let my inventive and imaginative mind produce wearable art. I’m currently attending FIT and working in the garment center; I’m learning all about the industry.