Major: Sociology, expected double minor in global studies and Asian American studies
Hometown: Gonzales, CA
Favorite UCLA event: Spring Sing
Dream Job/Dream City of Residence: Working for Cosmopolitan Magazine as a Style Editor (New York/Los Angeles)
Favorite thing to do in LA: Finding new restaurants and dessert shops. I have a very addictive personality and once I fall in love with a certain type of food or dessert I can’t stop eating it til I’m completely sick of it.
One thing you can’t live without: I really couldn’t live without my friends and family. They keep me sane and are consistently loving and supportive.
Fun Fact: I am a closeted adventurer haha. I love to sleep and relax at home and just be a couch potato, but I also am one to go out and be spontaneous and look for adventure. I have so many random bucketlist items that I want to do before I settle down, like skydive, bungee jump, and backpack through Europe. Not many things in life scare me, except for the thought of not being able to follow through and actually accomplish and do the things I truly want to do.
You are involved with ASOS at UCLA, but what exactly do you do and how did you get involved (anything you want people to know about you and your fashion history/experience/etc.)?
I am currently an ASOS Brand Ambassador through YMC, which is a youth marketing company that works with students on college campuses around the country to help get particular brand names out to the campuses. As a Brand Ambassador, I essentially hold a variety of events in which I give free ASOS Brand Products to the students of UCLA. I also post on social media to help promote the brand and these events that I hold as well. This program was created because ASOS is a hugely famous online fashion company in the UK and internationally it is trying to expand it’s market to more of the US through this program. This opportunity was brought to me through both my sorority and a fashion club on campus called FAST. The president of the fashion club was a graduating senior from my sorority and she had posted on Facebook about this amazing opportunity to work with ASOS and I pretty much contacted her immediately once I saw this. If it wasn’t for her I would not have this amazing job.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I wouldn’t say that I get my inspiration from one place in particular. Sometimes I see posts on blogs, pictures on Facebook, or even outfits that my sorority sisters are wearing and draw inspiration from that.
To what do you attribute your love for fashion?
My love for fashion I think really stemmed from growing up and seeing what my Dad and my Grandma wore. My Dad used to dress up in suits to work everyday and I remember him always wearing these intricately designed ties. I remember this one tie in particular that I loved. It was a beautiful Dolce and Gabbana tie with a really cool purple and pink paisley print on it. He always looked so put together and I loved how he would wear colorful shirts and ties. It was never the boring old black and white suit and tie combo.
My Grandma was also another person that really attributed to my love for fashion and beauty. Make up and jewelry in particular come to mind when I think of my grandma. I remember her always having super brightly colored eye shadow and crazy colored lips. She also had this jewelry box that was filled with these beautiful rings and jewel earrings and lots of strands of pearl and beaded necklaces. She always was fully put together with her accessories and make up whenever I would stay with her.
What is your favorite thing about the industry? My favorite thing about the industry is seeing how completely different every single designer is. There is so much passion and creativity when looking at a designer’s line. You can really tell how much effort and work was put into every bit of the planning, construction, and styling.
What do you think is the hardest part about getting into and being a part of the industry? I feel that the hardest part about being part of the industry as well as getting into the industry is definitely the constant changing and movement of fashion trends and what is “in and out”. It’s like a constant battle with yourself and those you’re working with, to stay well informed and up to date on trends while also retaining your own sense of style. In my opinion anything goes, which I’m sure is completely incorrect in most eyes of those in the industry. I feel that as long as you are passionate in something and you are putting your all into it, then you should be confident and sure of yourself. There are always going to be people critical of you and so why should you let them stop you from doing what you want. Fashion should be about wearing what you makes you feel confident.
You work with lots of different types of models for your line, what do you hope to exert with the clothes you design? I hope that through my line my models are able to feel confident with the clothes I put them in. I want them to feel flirty and feminine but also strong and beautiful in their own skin. When they are strutting down the runway, I want the audience to be able to feel the confidence oozing out of them.
You do a great job of being conscious of others body shapes and dressing people based on what would look best, do you think that more recent pushes towards body consciousness and health have changed or are changing the industry? It’s really sad to say this, but feel that the industry is very set in it’s ways. Skinny and tall, while obviously not the norm body type, has and probably always will be the “ideal” body for the fashion industry. Where there are clear strives and movements towards healthier body image like with the Dove Beauty campaigns and brands trying to rebrand a more realistic body image for people to look towards in the industry, there are still so many advertisements and brands that show such a warped perception of the body. As much as I wish I could say that the industry is changed, I feel like it has made some efforts but still has a huge way to go.
Do you focus on making this a priority in your designing?
I’m not sure if I really made the importance of body image a priority in my designing. I would say with this line in particular I was trying to focus on really making the pieces simplistic, so that when I put them on the model, she would really be able to bring it to life through her walk and her presence.
What is your go to outfit?
I have a very eclectic taste in style. I love wearing crazy grungy looking pieces but have no problem wearing a full floral maxi dress. So my go to outfit is always changing. Lately though, I have really been into wearing a simple shift tank dress with an oversized knitted cardigan and my favorite pair of cut out black booties.
Photo Credits: Vivan Sauer (Pictured left with Alex Klug pictured Right)