Lights. Camera. Fashion. The theater at the SCAD Museum of Art was filled to the brim with 170 bright-eyed students as four velvet chairs on the stage were filled with some of the hottest icons in the industry. Steven Kolb, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), along with CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner Telfar Clemens and finalists Ahlem Manai-Platt and Becca McCharen-Tran began the presentation by detailing their stories on how they got into fashion without getting an education in the matter—an outlook unfamiliar and eye-opening to the undergraduate and graduate attendees.
“It was a complete accident,” said Manai-Platt who originally wanted to be a journalist but later found an interest in factories creating eyewear. Clemens had a strict career path in mind, as he started his line at the age of 15. “I never found any clothes that I liked,” he said, “so I made the clothes that I liked.” As for McCharen-Tran, the architecture-educated designer switched from designing buildings to creating “built work for the body.” This presentation was set to inspire, motivate, and empower— and it did so much more.
The first part of the presentation focused heavily on diversity, leaning towards Clemens’ gender-neutral brand, Telfar, and McCharen-Tran’s label, Chromat, which carries an expansive variety of sizes. According to Kolb, Clemens designed gender-neutral clothing before it was “fashion” as his creations date back to 2004. Cheers to that. Clemens won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund after applying for the first time, making him the perfect example of an overnight success. “I thought I had it. I knew that what I was doing was unique and new. Fashion Fund, to me, is more conservative, so I thought if I could win it, people would understand the importance of my brand a little more.”
“At the end of the day, we are not saving the world, we are doing fashion. You need to stop and breathe.”
McCharen-Tran, on the other hand, had applied three times and finally proved her talent after a judge suggested she focused on one style. Chromat quickly evolved into a swimwear brand and McCharen-Tran earned the well-deserved title of “finalist.” CFDA and Vogue’s global showcase, “Americans in Paris,” caught Manai-Platt’s French eye and she knew that CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund would be in her future. Three years later, it was. “All I needed was an American husband,” she laughed.
Now for the question we were all waiting for: “Who was the scariest and most intimidating judge?” Clemens and Manai-Platt sang praise in unison that none of the judges were rude or discouraging. “Nobody is there to get you. They are there to help you and to listen to what you do,” said Manai-Platt. But McCharen-Tran felt differently. “Alright, is nobody going to say Anna Wintour?” Awkward laughter bounced off of the students’ colorful stilettos and black boots, and McCharen-Tran immediately gave the truth-of-all-truth statements: “I think Anna Wintour has a bad rap, though. If she was a man—being efficient and decisive—that would be normal. But because she goes after what she wants and gets it, it’s totally different.” Preach.
Many of the attendees were seniors preparing for their final collections at SCAD. The designers and Kolb wanted young designers to know that shows aren’t the only thing that legitimizes you as a designer, as important as they are for brands. “The runway show isn’t where you get that,” says Kolb. “You get it from the product, so be patient.” Manai-Platt explained that the “product, story, who you are, and the quality—everything else should come before the fashion show.” As for how to cope with stress? Manai-Platt loves meditation. “At the end of the day, we are not saving the world, we are doing fashion. You need to stop and breathe.” That’s one piece of advice a lot of us should definitely consider, but at the same time, the presentation gave major inspiration to the young attendees.
The motivation-level in the theater was bursting by the end of the talk. As Kolb, Clemens, Manai-Platt, and McCharen-Tran exited the stage, the students were reminded to never regret anything, thanks to Manai-Platt herself. “I wouldn’t change a thing because everything from day one to today—today with you guys—was meant to happen.”
Written by Kelsey Tucker
Photos by Angie Stong and Lucy Hewitt