The Fashion Capital with Stephanie

Transcript

Time to meet Stephanie, a senior Fashion Design major in QC School of Arts. Stephanie comes from a family of QC alumni and is forming her own legacy with the support of outstanding faculty, a variety of courses, and state-of-the-art facilities. Let’s hear more about it, Stephanie.

– Thanks, Desi. Hey, everyone. As a kid, I loved doing hand-sewing work, especially hand-sewing mini pillows and doll dresses. My interest in fashion started because of my abuela, who is a seamstress who loves making clothes and alterations. This passion has led me to study fashion in high school and continue here at Queens College. My mother attended QC in the 2000s and was the only female in the computer science major. I’m continuing this legacy by developing my skills in fashion design. The Fashion and Design program provides valuable courses such as sewing, pattern making, fashion sketching, fashion history, global fashion, textiles, and more. The professors generally care about their students’ futures and we built a strong community within our major. Recently, the apparel company, Kith, donated a sewing lab to the program, giving it it significant boost and allowing my classmates and I to work on the newest equipment. This donation also gave our program nationwide recognition. I spent hours at a time in this space creating and collaborating with my classmates. I created the Fashion Design Club at Queens College and served as its president. With nearly 100 students, it has been a phenomenal networking opportunity, not only here on campus, but in the New York City fashion industry. I have been very fortunate to intern with the curator of the Queens College Fashion and Textiles Collection, Emily Ripley. The Queens College Fashion Textiles Collection houses garments, accessories, and textiles that range from haute couture to every day, from the early 1800s through the 21st century. I got to work on the collection and study archival preservation techniques that are used not only at QC, but also at other museums like the Met Costume Institute. My experiences here at QC have enhanced my love for fashion and have created unlimited opportunities for my future. Back to you, Desi.

– Thanks, Stephanie. The sewing lab looks like a phenomenal place to learn and explore your creativity. And what better place to learn about the fashion industry than in New York City? Maybe I’ll be wearing one of your designs one day on a future episode of The College Tour.