I hope this story will inspire and motivate young students to pursue their dreams no matter what obstacles may interfere with their goals. My story began with moving to the big city at 15 to pursue fashion design. Living in the suburbs of Virginia, I always hoped to live in New York City where my dreams could become a reality. The Fashion Institute of Technology was my first choice for college because of their fashion design program. I knew what I had to do to get accepted, and what was required for the portfolio. Not knowing anything about patternmaking, draping, and fashion illustration, I enrolled into the High School of Fashion Industries to give me the foundation and knowledge to do my portfolio for FIT. There I was able to learn basic skills from patternmaking to draping while continuing with my other academic classes.

I found out about FIT’s Precollege Programs through their tremendously in depth information on their website and took my first two classes HAP 153: Intermediate Sewing and Embroidery Design and HPM 067: Manual Patternmaking and Sewing. There I constructed and executed garments that will later be presented and shown at my in person interview for FIT. The remarkable feeling of fully accomplishing a basic skirt and denim jacket is the most rewarding feeling an aspiring fashion design student can have. The only problem was fashion illustration. Thankfully, I enrolled in all the HAR 016: Fashion Art for Fashion Designers courses and the HAR 089: Fashion Design Portfolio class. I not only learned how to sketch, but I learned how to render and develop my own unique way. In the Portfolio class was where I developed all my fashion illustrations and even got inspired to design from the Daphne Guinness exhibit at the FIT museum.

After the in-person interview, it was waiting time. Waiting for that one piece of paper that can make me light up a room and put a smile on my face. After I received the letter that I was accepted, I realized there was no celebration equivalent enough to satisfy the moment.

I would like every student to feel this way about their portfolios – to be confident in themselves and with all their hard work and dedication. I didn’t have any doubts in my portfolio and I couldn’t have gained that confidence without the help of FIT’s Precollege Programs and professors (especially Professor Vargas).

I hope my story provides evidence that anything is possible. You might be the next one to write a story like this, thanking those who helped you to make your dreams a reality.

-Rebecca