FACULTY ESSAY
CREATING LEADERS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF FASHION
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opular culture portrays a career in fashion as totally and utterly glamorous. It seems like all industry people do is drop by their Pinterest-worthy shop, say hi to their assistants, make a few decisions, shop the rest of the day, and then show up that evening on the red carpet for a celebrity-studded event. In reality, nothing about the daily work of fashion is that magical or glamorous. It actually represents a lot of hard work done by a large number of partners who must successfully collaborate to strategize, design, source, manufacture, distribute and sell clothing for their intended customers. The real opportunity for fashion students lies in their ability to understand and respond to the real issues of today, applying their resources and skills in a meaningful way. Given the diverse and inclusive perspectives of our students, coupled with their ability to apply technology, I truly believe the Mount Mary fashion students of today will be the change-makers for tomorrow.
Prioritizing diversity
Our students are far ahead of the industry’s curve when it comes to the current movement toward diversity, inclusion and self-acceptance in fashion. Mount Mary’s fashion show has been praised for the range of sizes, shapes and colors represented on our runway. Our students are already thinking about the wants and needs of those who don’t fit neatly within the narrow image guardrails the fashion industry has dictated for so many years. I am inspired by the innovative ideas students develop when they think about the needs of the differently-abled, women in STEM, the elderly, those who identify as non-binary or those who seek modest options. Once students begin to view apparel as a viable solution for a real problem — whether that ‘problem’ is finding a pretty dress for a wedding or designing comfortable jeans that allow a wheelchair-bound child to dress like their peers — the work becomes more meaningful and important. They understand that fashion is social justice in action.
Utilizing technology
Mount Mary’s fashion program still teaches all the fundamental skills and understanding that is required to work in the industry, but technology has radically changed how students do this work. For example, hardly anyone does fashion illustrations by hand today, but designers must still learn how to clearly and visually communicate their ideas, whether they are sketching on the back of a napkin, drawing
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