I remember peering around my easel in Drawing II freshman year to try to catch a glimpse of whatever Jessica Ferreira was wearing each day. Creepy? Maybe a little, but this girl has serious style. Despite the fact that it was eight o’clock in the morning, and we were working with messy charcoals and pastels, she always looked chic. Jessica is a sophomore here at SCAD, where she is majoring in Fashion Design, and double minoring in Business and Fibers. As if she didn’t already have enough on her plate, Jessica has also interned at Harper’s Bazaar, and she was one of six national finalists for the CFDA Teen Vogue Competition.
OM: How would you describe your style?
JF: I wouldn’t say I have a particular style, but I do revolve my wardrobe around the color black. It’s simple, easy, and you can’t go wrong with it. The way I dress depends on how I’m feeling each day. I was really into minimal clothing and just wearing blacks and whites, but I’m kind of gearing towards prints and colors now. I stay in these long phases, and end up wanting to try something new.
OM: What are your go-to items in your closet?
JF: I absolutely think everyone needs a simple and casual button down. Whenever I have no clue what to wear, it’s what I end up resorting to, because you look chic and comfortable at the same time. I also need a crystal necklace. My mother was always into jewelry, and ended up giving a lot of them to me. It’s where I got my obsession with intricate and unique necklaces. I think everyone needs at least one crystal necklace because it can go with T-shirts, button downs, and dresses.
OM: Tell me about your experience with the CFDA Teen Vogue Competition.
JF: The CFDA Teen Vogue Competition was the most challenging and stressful experience I have ever put myself through but definitely paid off at the end! I was always such a huge fan of the CFDA, and the way they supported the innovation of emerging American designers. When I heard about the opportunity of having a chance to be flown to New York in spring for the annual dinner hosted by Vogue for the CFDA, I definitely had to apply! I had nothing to lose! The process was tough at first, because you had to come up with a concept that could sell to the Target brand. The brief asked that you had to choose a CFDA designer that would feature an exclusive collection for Target. There had to be a minimum of ten looks with an optional brand extension. You also needed to document the process and write a one page essay stating 3-5 aspects why the designer would benefit from Target, and what he or she would bring to the table. The whole process started out with the applicants meeting with weekly, one-on-one meetings with our professors at the fashion department to discuss what they liked and didn’t like about our designs. Each week got a lot more challenging, because they were expecting a lot out of me and everyone else applying. I also take an extra course at SCAD so I had to juggle my four classes and the competition all at the same time. I had to sacrifice my entire social life and during the fall quarter and kept telling myself that what I was doing could pay off. Close to the end of fall quarter, the Dean of the fashion department began eliminating people, and some decided to drop out because of the excessive work load. What I struggled with the most was constantly being uncertain about how good I was compared to other people applying, since there was no way of knowing. I also doubt myself in almost everything I design, and wonder if it could be improved and attract more people to the product. Over break, I was interning at Harper’s Bazaar in NYC while I was finishing up the CFDA competition. I decided to quit the CFDA because I was unable to handle the workload that I was given to me at work at Harper’s Bazaar, since I worked long hours, and had no energy when I got back home. Professor Sandi and the Dean felt strongly that I should keep going, and they were very understanding about what I was going through. With their encouragement, I ended up being one of the three finalists chosen from SCAD and one of the six winners in the nation for the CFDA competition. I am still in shock that it happened!
Photo by Tenisha Clarke