Are you a hopeless romantic looking for something luxurious to wear in your next outing? Look no further. Nicole DiNello has created a line for the 2017 ISU Fashion Show that will give you just that. Read on to find out more about this fashionista.
Her Campus: Have you always been a fashion major?
Nicole: No. When I came into college I originally wanted to be a criminal physiologist. Being the indecisive person that I am, I decided I wanted to pursue a degree in Communications with a minor in Spanish. After two years of that I had too much trouble trying to fit Spanish classes into my schedule but I still had a lot of credits I needed to take which is what led me to fashion. Fashion has always been something I wanted to have a career in ever since I was a little girl but I did not know if it was realistic for me. Now that I am in the program I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.
Her Campus: What inspires you to do the work you do?
Nicole: I am an artistic person and I love to do anything art related whether it is drawing with charcoal to working with graffiti. Whenever I have free time you will find me drawing. Because of how much art affects my life, literally everything inspires me. Everything. I could be walking to class and pass a tree and the shape of the tree and its leaves inspires me to replicate it in making silhouettes for dresses. I never could understand people who would look at a blank piece of paper and not be able to think of something to draw because I could be doodling in class and start off with just drawing a coffee mug and by the end of class I will have an entire coffee house scribbled on my notes.
Her Campus: Tell us something interesting about yourself that sets you apart from other designers:
Nicole: Probably my passion for research. I am always researching other designers whether they are well known or underground. I study their style and inspiration and I am always keeping up. Along with researching trend, color and style patterns from the past I always am looking at patterns.
Her Campus: Other than designing for the fashion show, what other projects are you working on right now?
Nicole: I actually am doing a free speech project where I will be going to malls and educating people on fast fashion and persuading them to choose smarter textiles.
Her Campus: What’s your favorite part about the FDM program?
Nicole: As cliché as it is I am going to have to say the professors. Those women have offered the students hands on projects to build their portfolios to make us credible. Along with the awesome projects they have also been so understanding and wanting to help their students and their alum thrive. I have not had a professor in FDM that I did not like. I also appreciate their emphasis on sustainability and I really think they have educated many of the students in their program enough to incorporate changes in their lives.
Her Campus: What are your plans after college?
Nicole: As far as my career plans go I hope to use my Communication degree to get me into print, advertising/marketing and promotions within a fashion house. I hope to be surrounded by creative people who will continue to inspire me as I inspire them. My ultimate goal is to be a creative director within the company.
Her Campus: As far as your collection for the 2017 fashion show, can you give us an idea of what we can expect?
Nicole: Although I have the least experience compared to all the other designers, I still tried to create something exciting. I tried use “Highlights” as the foundation for my collection. I wanted to use shiny fabrics that had a lux feel which is why I used silky and velvety fabrics on all of my designs. Because I was going for darker looks, I incorporated beautiful lace and matte blacks to give gothic/Parisian vibes. I wanted my looks to be romantic. I was also inspired by the Notre Dame’s detailing like the gargoyles and rose windows.
Tickets for the 2017 Illinois State Fashion Show are on sale at the Braden Box Office, or online at Ticketmaster.com. The show is April 13th with light refreshments at 5 p.m. and a show start time of 7 p.m.