Sunday, June 21

Teen Vogue Fashion Univ. Rap-Up

A few years back I stumbled upon Teen Vogue Fashion University, the weekend long fashion conference/seminar hosted by Teen Vogue, by chance. I remember hearing about it from my BF's sister but I never paid it too much attention. I figured that it was a fancy fashion program designed for fashion students at fancy fashion schools. Amidst the struggles of getting into my dream university and getting comfortable, I ignored the TVFU 2007 application deadline and kept sketching, designing, dreaming and doing my own thing. As the summer of 2008 came along and I transferred colleges I figured that there was no time like the present to apply and give it a shot. I am generally a perfectionist and I read somewhere once that perfectionists tend to have an "all or nothing" approach to life, meaning that they will either give 110% towards accomplishing their goals or they'll become too afraid that they won't be accomplished perfectly and stop midway. As the deadline for TVFU came closer I realized that I had to give 110% because there was absolutely nothing that I wouldn't give to learn from the best in the fashion industry in the middle of Manhattan. Anyway, I sent in some work from my advanced high school art class (a few scratch art pieces and a watercolor), wrote a few strong essays, said a prayer and pushed send.
I was accepted!
TVFU was a beautiful experience. I was able to meet girls who loved fashion just as much as I did. It was kind of like those Star Trek conventions you see on tv when everyone is so into it and everyone feels like they fit and they belong because they are surrounded by people who share the same love as they do. I was blessed to attend seminars hosted by Rachel Roy, Phillip Lim, Peter Som, Sonia Kashuk, the Teen Vogue Editors, the author of the novel The Clique, the costume designer of The Clique the movie and so many more. I don't even remember how much it cost last year but I know that it was somewhere around the $200 range. In exchange we got knowledge to last a lifetime and a Dooney and Bourke tote filled with hair products, magazines, make up, "green" things and other goodies.
I wrote all of this to say that I really encourage everyone who is serious about fashion to apply to TVFU, both ladies and gents. They accept about 500 students from across the nation and Canada so please come with strong applications!
Packing all of my bags.
They were a bigger hassle than I expected!

Early morning session!
Yummy breakfast and lunch provided by Target

Peter Som's session had so many students in the audience!

The private session with Rachel Roy. (I sat on the second row, lol) I love her work.

See you there!
-CD


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