Name: Kaycee Marshall
Major: Fashion Design
Hometown: Dansville, IN
Favorite Netflix Series: Gossip Girl
Worst Addiction: Sweet Tea
Kaycee Marshall is a Fashion Design student at Kent State University that has the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the industry this summer. She currently has the opportunity to help plan and design a fashion show in Indianapolis for children with disabilities, and she’s shared how she’s achieving her lifelong dream in the process.
Her Campus: How did you come across this opportunity this summer?
Kaycee: I’ve been involved with Timmy Global Health since I was young. I even participated in this event before. They contacted me with the proposition of helping plan and design for the 2017 fashion show and of course, I accepted it.
Her Campus: What will you be doing specifically?
Kaycee: Other than planning the fashion show, I’ll get the chance to showcase a couple of my pieces and show my design abilities in children’s wear. We’re planning to profile the young models and make the clothing embrace their personality. I personally love this idea because it will make them feel beautiful and confident when they rock the runway.
Her Campus: Why did you decide to do this?
Kaycee: Wherever I go with my career, I believe it’s important to showcase models with all abilities because there’s a lack of representation in the fashion industry and media. You rarely see a positive perspective of a disability. It’s always actors faking a disability. When you open up a magazine, you rarely see a girl with a disability modeling a designer’s clothing line or representing a makeup brand. Besides gaining experience, I believe it’s important to embrace a fashion line with models of all abilities, and that’s what I want to do with my career. I want to showcase models that bring a positive representation to the fashion industry, and this fashion show will be great practice in trying to incorporate my idea into the industry.
Her Campus: What are you wanting to give and take from the children you’re designing for?
Kaycee: I want to help the girls express their personalities through the clothing I design and embrace their beautiful selves on the runway. With making the clothing express their personalities, I want to see them shine. I hope to inspire these young girls in achieving their dreams as well.
Her Campus: Do you feel as though you’ve overcome obstacles that others consider to be impossible or too difficult?
Kaycee: Anything is possible. No obstacles are too difficult or challenging for me. I just need a little creative thinking to figure out how I’m going to make something work for me.
Her Campus: Do you believe you’ve achieved great potential within your major and career choice, and has it been difficult while having sacral agenesis?
Kaycee: I believe I’ve accomplished a lot since I’ve came to Kent. With having Sacral Agenesis, I’ll never let it stop me from achieving my dreams. In creative thinking, I can usually work my way around any obstacle or challenge that comes my way. I was taught at a young age that I can do anything I set my mind to, and I apply this with every step I take in my career goals.
Her Campus: Do you have these goals to bring models of all abilities into the fashion industry because of your own disabilities?
Kaycee: My future goals are to incorporate models with disabilities into the industry in order to give young girls women to look up to. I’ve always thought this way growing up because there was never a model with a disability in a magazine modeling a clothing or makeup brand. I believe there needs to be more diverse models in the industry.
Her Campus: If you get this opportunity brought to you again, would you take it?
Kaycee: I would love to plan more fashion shows in the future, especially ones that have a meaningful cause behind it like this. It’s a great way to gain experience while also giving back to the community.