Grads

The Class of 2019 Standouts | Savannah College of Art and Design

The past few months have marked the entry of the next wave design students who are leaving the classroom behind for the realities of the industry. Eager to shed a light on the emerging minds from design institutions around the world, we're highlighting some of the top graduates who are joining the Not Just A Label community.

Our first selection of graduates hail from Savannah College of Art and Design. As one of the leading universities for fashion education offering hundreds of courses that position students for professional careers in fashion, SCAD works to prepare students for leadership in the dynamic and ultra-competitive global fashion industry.

We spoke with ten standout fashion design graduates from Savannah College of Art and Design, asking them about their greatest lessons learned in college, what excites them about the future, and so much more. 

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Anya Haber

What excites you the most about graduating and fully entering the fashion industry?

The potential of where I end up. Graduating into an oversaturated field is scary, but when you know your niche, landing that job will make everything worthwhile. I'm excited about the current evolution of the state of fashion.

Technological designs are slowly becoming less gimmicky and more functional and wearable. Science has always been a passion and inspiration of mine. I want to get in at the start and be part of this burgeoning field. The intersection of design, science, and technology is where the future lies.
 

What lessons did you learn while in college that you think will be the most useful post- graduation?

Learning how to deal with criticism is very valuable. Not everyone is going to like your collections and that’s something every designer needs to accept and not take personally. Don’t change your entire collection because you want to please someone. 

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Alaina Colleen

How did your time at SCAD help you grow as a creative? 

I think being surrounded by so many other talented artists in college—both professors and peers—forces you to find your identity. SCAD expedites the whole process of arriving at your brand and voice. Everyone is trying to find their space & figure out what sets them apart. In the latter half of college the dust finally settles just in time for you to complete your thesis. It’s a bumpy process but developing into a fully realized artist is worth it!
 

How have you been preparing for life as a designer outside of college? 

I’ve always spent a great deal of my time doing personal projects, mostly fine art or graphic design. I think that’s what really makes my work special—the marriage of graphic visuals, textiles and fashion. I think practicing outside of university and doing thing independently is very important! I also worked at a screen printing & graphic design firm for a summer which gave me a different perspective and proficiency that I pride myself on.

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Guoshuai Wang

How are you hoping to change the future of fashion?

Too many brands now lose their brand value in order to make a profit. The fashion industry seems to be moving closer to fast-selling fashion. Every year, the garment industry designs over-sold products and consumes no one, which also causes great pollution to the environment. I hope that I can try my best to change the current mixed fashion industry, the impetuous atmosphere, truly do fashion and innovation, and make good things, instead of blindly pursuing fast and making money. 

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Swords Tomorrow

How are you hoping to change the future of fashion?

I believe in the following: Fighting against fast-fashion by bringing durability, humanity and artisans back to luxury fashion; bringing Central Asia out into the dialogue of post-Soviet Fashion; using pattern, textile and ornament from a culture but honoring and returning it to the present day, rather than using it purely for it's aesthetic value; creating more garments for men to express themselves through what they wear, although all genders are welcome to wear my clothing.

To me, history, concept, and craft are important. Luxury garments are now seen less as works of skill and beauty and more as consumer goods. With fashion at an all-time peak in terms of fast, trend-based manufacturing I want to create garments that have both durability and humanity to them. Something emotional and special that people would want to pass on to their children, something that they want to honor and feel proud to wear. As an appreciator of artisanship and maximalism, I hope that power can be returned to the artisans and skilled workers.

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Amanda Henman

What excites you the most about graduating and fully entering the fashion industry?

What excites me the most is getting to see my work out in the real world. In college, only your professors and peers are looking at your work. It’s exciting to have your work seen and hopefully purchased/worn by actual customers. I can’t imagine the day I pass someone wearing one of my designs on the street. 

How are you hoping to change the future of fashion?

I hope to change the future of fashion by making clothing more functional, using sustainable natural fibers and repurposed/dead stock fabrics, and most importantly, cutting down on waste. I think the excess of unsold clothing is truly the biggest issue in our industry today, and I hope to do my part in creating smaller collections of the strongest pieces. My first collection is six looks which can be detached and rearranged into different outfits. While it’s a more conceptual idea, I think this issue needs to be a primary focus for all apparel/fashion retailers. 

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Kajal Goel

What excites you the most about graduating and fully entering the fashion industry? 

The most exciting part of graduating and entering the fashion industry is that I can finally work with designers that I am inspired by and focus my energy towards my goals and aspirations as a designer: to have a label of my own. I am most excited about getting my work out into the industry and seeing it flourish.
 

What lessons did you learn while in college that you think will be the most useful post-graduation? 

The most valuable lesson I learned in college is the art of storytelling through fashion. My professors have taught me to keep my muse and her persona in mind while designing. This fuels my process and keeps my design process cohesive. Another lesson I’ve learned in college is to keep on questioning and adding to your work as nothing is ever truly finished.

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Tian-u

What lessons did you learn while in college that you think will be the most useful post-graduation? 

The power of collaboration and community was a huge lesson I learned while in college. Since we're constantly working together in courses, we all understand the importance of helping and supporting one another, whether that means offering up important critiques or posing new ideas.

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Adam Wen

How are you hoping to change the future of fashion?

To be honest, I don’t know if I can change anything of fashion. I know that sounds a bit cynical, but I do think it's more about the collective than the individual. I do hope that through my work people will understand the true essence of expression. That being said, I do think that the one thing I personally want to change in fashion is not actually the fashion industry itself. but the way in which people think about fashion. 

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May 9891

How did your time at SCAD help you grow as a creative?

For me, more than anything, my peers helped me grow. We shared similar interests but we could disagree with each other as well. Also. the fact that a lot of us are from different parts of the world gave me an insight into different cultures and different angles when considering certain ideas. Some peers talk about political movements. Some peers shared their love or personal stories while some others talk about environmental issues. I got to learn so many things just from their concepts. Of course, how my peers execute their concepts were interesting too. So, I think it is the circumstances and my peers that helped me to think and drive me more creative.
 

What’s next for you?

Even though I have already finished my degree, I’ve become aware of the importance of fashion marketing, so I am going to take a few fashion marketing courses in the fall. However, I do have plans to do a fashion show in Paris early next year and I have already found a curator who is now scouting locations for me. Internship-wise, there are a lot of young fashion brands which I am interested in and I do want to work for such as Marine Serre and Yang Li. Although they are relatively young, I like how dynamic they are. To an extent, they are voicing their opinions and indicating differences in the definition of beauty. That’s something I want to pursue in the future so I’m hoping to get to work with them and learn from them.

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Gibron

What’s next for you?

The truth is I have no idea what is next for me. I’m working on a coffee table art book that goes into more depth about my commencement collection. I know that I want to put a lot of my energy into starting a men’s lifestyle company out of Atlanta. I’m also interested in freelancing and working for other companies (Wales Bonner or Ricardo Tisci),  but nothing concrete as of yet. It’s kind of exciting not knowing what is next.
 

How are you hoping to change the future of fashion?

I’m hoping to show people of color in a more multidimensional way. I want to create men’s clothing that is narrative driven, clothes that stir intrinsic desire. I’m really inspired and in tune with a lot of Li Edelkoort’s work and trying to use that on top of my own thoughts to not change fashion but open it up and reconfigure it.


Savannah College of Art and Design on NJAL