I recently had the chance to sit down with fashion design student Chelsea Faresich, who I must say is quite the surprising person. Apart from being a delightful friend and an overall beautiful person, Chelsea is also a brilliant, innovative designer. In fact, her senior collection was chosen to be in this year’s coveted SCAD Fashion Show. Check out what she had to say about her senior year, a few of her favorite things, and what she sees in her future. And find updates and more details at on her website www.chelseafaresich.com.
Christine Burney: I know you just had your birthday (29th of May), what did you wish for this year?
Chelsea Faresich: I hoped that all the hard work that I have put into SCAD and my collection is appreciated and gets me where I want to be. That’s my biggest desire right now. I really want to work with a small design company that has their own name. To be able to work with that specific designer and learn the whole process — whether it’s concept development, muslins or patterns, I want to be able to work hands on, so I can learn how things work in the industry and I can go up from there. But fashion is a very cut-throat industry.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
CB: You say fashion is a cut throat kind of culture; how will you overcome it?
CF: I feel like that is going to be my biggest challenge because like no matter what, people are gonna say things and people are gonna do things and people are gonna try to bring you down. I like to surround myself with people who aren’t like that … like a design firm/house that is not so engaged in the gossip and the drama. I think it depends a lot on the people you’re with, too and what you choose to listen to and what you choose not to listen to.
CB: What have your parents helped you with that has prepared you for moving forward from college?
CF: Well, they know how hard I work. Recently, they’ve really pushed me to just do things for myself because I always get so consumed in what I’m doing and I don’t take breaks and I just try to push through things and it’s just really not healthy. My mom keeps pushing yoga and taking walks and just getting out. My dad is very business-oriented. They both really push independence on me. As long as I’m doing what makes me happy and I can support myself, they’ve always been really supportive. But they are big on me being able to just rely on myself and not another person or them. My dad has taught me how to manage things with a business mindset to protect myself and my designs as well as maintaining that creative freedom.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
CB: What have you learned from this year?
CF: I have learned that you do need to give time to yourself. How was I supposed to get all this done in such a limited amount of time without going insane and losing all sleep? I mean, there were so many all-nighters … I guess strategizing a few things kind of helped prevent a few all-nighters too though. I also think I’m a perfectionist, but my goal is just to get it done and if I had time to go back, then I could perfect it and stay confident as hard as that seems, because I feel like the more confident you are in what you’re doing and what you’re trying to express you’ll be able to get other people to see your vision too.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
CB: What do you want to be known for?
CF: When it comes to fashion, I would really want to be known for my innovation and having quality garments and quality designs, not only with materials but the finishes. But I still want to be known as an artist. I feel that my fashion is like art.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
CB: What are your favorite kinds of fine arts and what are ways that you incorporate them into your art?
CF: I think I would just go with painting and sculpture. I think those are my two favorite aspects of fine art. The collection I did for senior year was based on a sculpture major I knew last year. She made this incredible piece made out of acrylic and that’s how it all started. Usually I gravitate towards color, shape and texture — I really love texture, but at the same time I like being minimal. I’ve noticed that I thrive off of emotion. So, whatever I design and whatever makes me feel, my design tends to go in that direction.
CB: Do you feel that ideas come to their place of finish organically or do you think critique has a place in shaping the direction of where it’s going?
CF: I think it needs to play itself out. Critique is kind of what you make of it. I know they really frustrated at me at one point, because I wanted to do what I wanted to do. A lot of ideas were thrown at me, I just didn’t agree with them, but there were also some that I did want to do. But it’s also a tough thing. You have to think about the time you want to put into it. You just got to learn to stick to your guns basically.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
CB: What would say is your favorite part about fashion?
CF: I think that there’s a lot different things; it’s just so intriguing to me. So many different people have so many different aesthetics but they can still appreciate other work as well. There’s so much to fashion and it always recycles itself. You really have to push to get to the next thing, to be innovative. The most exciting part is what people can come up with out of everything.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
CB: What do you feel is your way of being innovative? What kind of things help you to think in new ways?
CF: I like going out and experiencing new things and going to places you wouldn’t expect to find new materials for new things. I love the Home Depot. So, I always go to the Home Depot thinking, “how can I use this for something?” And if I do go out to an event, usually I think of how specific art pieces can be utilized. Going out and seeing what other people have to offer and gathering inspiration from that. I feel like you always have to be creative to really put things together. Which, after a while, becomes an instinct.
Image courtesy of Chelsea Faresich.
*Photographer Anya Mathis.
*Models Melly Wirtes and Alexandria Tippins.