you know, i’ve never done things the way i “should”. the way society tells me to, the way my friends do, the way it’s expected. i act differently, dress differently, design differently…
unfortunately, because of that, i’ve met with obstacles along the way. my parents were one of my biggest obstacles, because they couldn’t understand how i could give up my childhood dream of being a vet and become a god-forbidden fashion designer-slash-seamstress. fortunately, they came around and i’m lucky enough that they are now one of my biggest supporters.
and then comes the insignificant-but-yet-always-there-to-annoy-me teachers. oh, i could go on and on about them. i’ve had teachers from 3 different countries, and the best of them are those who might not share your aesthetic and views, but they support it anyway. if they think you are weird, then they are gonna make you be the weirdest you can be. if your designs are ridiculous to them, then you better become the most ridiculous one out there. they are supportive in that way, strange as it sounds.
but then there are the teachers who just bring you down and tell you to stop what you’re doing because you’ll never succeed. teachers who take just 3 minutes to give you a critique when they spend 15 minutes on someone else, because they honestly don’t know what to say to you. teachers who suck the life out of you and leave you in despair.
worst still are institutions who think of themselves as a business and a dictatorship before they remember that they are there to educate their students. institutions who try to put you in a box and force you to be who they want you to be, instead of who you are and who you can become.
my 2 years in parsons have aged me. yes, i’m 26 years old now. but i’ve never felt my age nor thought about how old i am as compared to my fellow classmates. but when i’m in school, i feel like an angry, frustrated little old bitch. on some days, everyone’s on a short fuse. we’re agitated, tired, we look like shit, our skin is bad, our eyes are bloodshot, and we’re just irritable from not sleeping.
i’ve never been in such a bad-temper.
i can’t say i enjoy it. in fact, i absolutely hate it. it’s a mental struggle and sheer willpower to stay alive. if i’d known what a hellhole my life here would be, before i’d moved to new york, i don’t think i would have come. but alas, i’ve invested too much of my parents’ money to come here, and no matter how much i hate the school, i just have to grit my teeth and finish it for their sakes. i can’t quit, because i’m not a quitter.
but if i have to go through one more year of this shithole, i’m definitely not going to succumb to pressures, and give up my opinions just to get a better grade or to win some competition.
i see that happen all the time – people remove their own personalities from their designs just to win a competition. they adjust themselves so that the teachers will pick them for something. we have a saying in school that’s called the “parsons look”. the clean-cut, simple, ready-to-wear look that parsons is well-known for, and in my vocabulary, it means boring clothes that have no point-of-view.
people talk about this “parsons look” – “oh, you know that’s never gonna get picked because it doesn’t represent the school”, or “she won the competition because she referenced past winners and did her project the way the school likes it”.
it pisses me off.
where the fuck is your backbone? where is your personality? is this the way your parents brought you up? did they never teach you to have your own voice? did they never instill in you strength and character and integrity?
i despise people like that. d-e-s-p-i-s-e. stand up for yourself, for fuck sake.
it’s different if you are working for someone else and you need that paycheck. yes, you can’t always be the designer you want to be. you can’t always be wild and flamboyant, or avant garde or couture. but, i firmly believe that even if you were working for someone and had to adjust your aesthetics to suit the company’s looks, there are always ways in which you can inject your own personality into your designs. in fact, i think when designers of different aesthetics come together, you can work together to create the best product that blends the best of different voices.
but until then, you are your own designer, you are your own voice. if i edited myself and edited my collections so that i could have the “parsons look” that this school wants, then i could never sign my name at the bottom of those sketches, and i could never put that in my portfolio. because it just isn’t representative of who i am. and i would be ashamed of it.
yes you’re right, this post is almost like a rant. maybe it is. but this message goes out to all of you who are in the creative world – be who you are and never be embarrassed about it. do not ever let anyone shove a cookie-cutter in your face!
i just had to say this, perhaps as a reminder to myself. i’ve been really tired and lacking of sleep recently because of the sheer amount of things that we’ve had to do in school. (by the way, when i tell people that i’m tired, they scoff and make it a competition of who has more things to do. only my friends in the fashion department at parsons can understand this. we have 30 hours of class a week, for just 19 credits, and our work never ends in class. we take it home and work day and night for our craft. i’ve had arguments with people who tell me fashion is frivolous and “it’s so easy because all you do is draw”. arseholes.)
yesterday marked the due-date of a project that we had been working on all semester. as juniors, we were assigned to do a mini-thesis at the beginning of the semester. it consists of 3 looks of at least 6 garments, that we had to design, drape, pattern-make, create a sample. and then sew the final product for. sounds easy and it all fit into one sentence, but it was quite a lot of work to complete within 5 months. we have two 6-hour sewing classes a week, and of course all our own free time to finish everything.
and because the school is stupid, they never provided any details for us till just weeks ago, so we never knew how the judging process would be, how the show would be, and in fact, till this day we still don’t know how many people will actually get into the show. but anyway, a jury came into our class consisting of like, 10-15 teachers, who gave us points according to our design and how well it was sewn.
i was proud of what i did, but i was upset with myself because i did not finish my dress the way i wanted to. i’d run out of time, and in my head it just wasn’t complete. of course, i’d stayed up all night the night before to try and complete it, but at noon, i fell asleep and woke up at 2:30pm, just enough time to rush to school by 3pm. but i had lost 2 and a half precious hours that i could have finished my project with. oh well. it was too late to regret.
after the jury came and went, my teacher, who’s great by the way, came over and told me something that made me real sad. she’d loved what i did, and gave me tips along the way to achieve the look i wanted. but she said, “a few teachers thought your designs, especially the second look, was too conceptual.”
in other words, it wasn’t representative of the school’s look. i guess.
you know, i’ve gone over this a million times in my head and each time i think about it, it just frustrates me. runway shows are supposed to create an atmosphere. it’s supposed to be inspiring, like what john galliano does with his shows. he creates a look, but it doesn’t mean you’ll find it in the stores later, because he’ll also create a toned-down wearable version of the initial over-the-top design.
so i’ve accepted the fact that i’ve come to parsons to receive an education, all these thousands of kilometers away from home, only to find that although i have supportive teachers who offer advice and constructive criticisms, i also attend a school with a stupid president and a policy that students who don’t fit into the mold will basically, just not be acknowledged.
i’m not gonna lie: it’s discouraging sometimes. but i’m not gonna back down and i’m not going to be embarrassed about who i am.
i am gilda. i am a fashion designer. and i have my own voice. it’s my life, and it’s my designs. i’m gonna do it my way.
this was my collection. i still have finishing touches to do, but it was my take on a military theme, based on epaulets. a little different from how most people who do a military collection, but you might be able to see hints of it. the collection was a mix of a very sponge-y neoprene, and bamboo cotton jersey and bamboo satin. i wanted to blend organic fabrics with some plastic neoprene! it was harder than i expected to sew, but i love neoprene and will use it forever.
sadie, trying on my dress for me. if i may say so myself, i do love it. heh heh heh.
darling michael took one look at my ziggy cape and wanted to put it on immediately. yes, this is the look that was too conceptual. at least one person liked it! yay!
so well, there you have it. my little 3-look collection, christianed “ziggy” by kesiana, a friend in class. all comments and constructive criticisms welcomed!
and i leave you, fellow creative person, with this – if you are a designer, a writer, a blogger, a gardener, a painter, a daydreamer – never be afraid of who you are.
it’s your life. do it your way!
more for nosey parkers:
+ discover your passion and find a purpose
+ what i love about me
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Dear Gilda,
I say stay true to your voice, especially now. I work in Advertising/Marketing which is in many ways similar. Of course there are things to learn in school, like foundation skills but now is the time to do what YOU want to do. Our creative director says this to all incoming prospective designers when looking at their portfolios: Don’t show me “safe” work, especially the work you do in school. Now is the time to be as creative as you can be… later you will have budgets and client needs and restrictions. But don’t restrict yourself!
I love your designs and can totally see the influence (saw some vintage epaulettes today as a matter of fact!) . And I love how you play with the scale. Like Gallianno says, he is there to create a mood which is as valuable to his brand as sales are.
Keep it up!
Luv
Poochie
Oh Gilda! It’s really sad that because you don’t have the “parsons look” you don’t get acknowledged as you deserve.
I can relate a bit with the deadlines problem. I have to build a system and analyze it but so far, we don’t have any requirements or guidelines to do the project, it’s very frustrating.
I’m glad that you are not getting Parsons get to you. You are a wonderful designer and I think your work is marvelous and unique.
I really loved the drop crotch pants and the vest/jacket! I love that item so, so much!
Hang in there sweetie. You can do it! We both have one more year to go, then it will be us doing our own thing. I’m cheering for you.
Kisses.
I absolutely love your designs – the vest with the drop-crotch pants is flawless and that cape grows on me the more I see it. Keep doing what you are doing
I love you Gilda.
the ziggy cape looks more jester-like to me… and it’s my fav out of the 3!
Boo, you are one fly mamacita. I HAAAATE how your life is one big stress dook right now. And fuck those haters!!! But seriously you are a true original. OG SON!! You think outside the box, you stay true to your fabulous self and all of those things….girl that’s what’s going to propel you to success. Keep your eye on the prize. I know it’s a struggle but don’t give up EVER!! You are one mutha fuckin’ inspiration to a lot of people!! Love you Gilda!!!
xomarie
o gilda i love the loopy jacket! w the hat your friend looks just like one of your drawings, and you know how i love your drawings!
also i would very much like to try on that sexy little dress.. and the vest definitely belongs in my wardrobe. i think you did spot on, but then again my taste isn’t exactly main-stream. i doubt i would wear the ‘parsons look’.
keep making clothes i want!
xoxo
sunshine
hey mamacita, i’ve visted your site a few times and loved it and reading this particular post struck a chord with me. as a creative, any kind of creative person, we get looked at like what the crap are you doing? in life you have three sorts of people darling:
person one follows the crowd, person two wishes to be different and person three is the person that numero two wants to be. person three pushes those boundaries and person three sees the sky as red when others only sees blue.
so do your thing. let the other parson’s clones remember you as the one that broke out of the thought process. i’m struggling with this same thing but on a personal level. i have no one who understands me personally and for a minute i wanted to cave in and stop being a person three. well tooooo bad for you who don’t get me.
my mind is on alien time. i was sent here to show these earthlings what life is all about. <<—-my mother never gets that but that’s my motto and that’s my truth. peace out earthlings. much love, dendoo.
do it your way,,,本当に大事だね。
自分らしさや信念があり続けることって難しいけど、必要だとここ数年、本気に思う。
GILDA姫のこのepaulet（肩章）を基盤としたミリタリーテイストの洋服、いいじゃん！！
ユーモラス！
僕もケープと警官帽子被ってパーティー行きたい♪
その時、白レザーパンツか白スキニーパンツをインでヒール６ｃｍくらいのブーツで！
逆にインを全身黒でも面白いかも！！
ゴールドまたは黄土色×ホワイトの組み合わせが好き。
比べるのもなんだけど、リック・オウェンスやジェレミー・スコットな系統。
ニューヨークでインスピレーションがないんだ。。。もう何年だっけ？
そうだね、いすぎるとそうなることってあるよ。
僕も東京に飽き飽きして、けっこう外に飛び回って、仕事とプライベートうまく混ぜて海外に住んでみたり。
パーソンズでのデザイナー業、本当に忙しそう。
この作品で卒業するんだ。
来月？
「Lunatic Lust」読んでくれてありがとう♪
Slav Boyのトピック、最高でしょ？（笑）
今日は新たにBaltic Boyを特集したからのぞいてみて（笑）。
パットのショップ！！
GildaにNYCガイドしてもらいたい♪
xxZ
There’s nothing I can say that these ladies haven’t already.
Your own personal style, and the pieces you design, are envy-worthy. You take fashion and make it your own, beyond almost any other person I know. Your flair for color, pattern, material, is amazing, and you’re an inspiration. This line is phenomenal, and I have no doubts of the success you’ll receive, on your own.
Hang in there Gilda. You’ll be my personal designer when I get famous haha!
I love your designs. I wish I were able to get out of my box from time to time…and about craziness and lack of sleep…I think I’ve experienced what you’re going through quite a few times, but NEVER more than a week. It usually happens during tech week for productions, but like I said, never for more than a week.
You’re a trouper, and if there’s anything I can do for you, you should let me know. Oh by the way, what are you up to this summer?
I cannot add anything that has already been said by the other commenters, but I almost understand where you’re coming from.
It seems to be the way the ‘top’ fashion universities work. Caring about themselves over the students that study there and it doesn’t make any sense because it should always be about personal style.
I think your finished garments are amazing.
Hey! I’m a fairly new follower of your blog, and I want to thank you for making this post. I am a graphic design major at the supposed “best school in Oklahoma” for what I’m doing. I just want to say I’ve shared SO many of your frustrations, and assumed it was because I was at a cheap school. I think a lot of it is just the way design professors are.
I totally understand what you mean about the mold. I feel like my school has that too. When I arrived, I was VERY optimistic, knowing I at least had some talent, and that MAYBE my professors could help me with what I’m good at, and steer me in the right direction.
I was wrong. The first class I took was all about figuring everything out for yourself. I understand that, but they gave absolutely no help, and told us that “as designers, we would be given specific information on what to do, and we had to figure it out.” At this point, NONE of us knew anything about materials, or where to even begin to start ANYTHING, and were just expected to know, because we were designers.
WHAT THE HECK? Its my first day of CLASS! I’m PAYING TUITION so that you can teach me what design IS! If I was supposed to know everything coming in, than why am I here?
I understand we have to have the foundations, I understand we need to think critically and for ourselves..but for goodness sakes, WHERE is the encouragement in the design world? I’m a person that needs to be told “hey, you’re good at this area…move this way!” instead of saying “Oh. You aren’t the exact thing we’re looking for…so yours isn’t as good.” (cookie cutter thing again).
Its just really frustrating when I get multiple offers for awesome things online and my teachers don’t hardly recognize my talent or care or something?
Oh and btw…totally be true to yourself and stick to your concepts. I think you have great taste and at least from that photo some very interesting peices.
you guys are WAY too nice to me!!! i love youuuuu!!
+poochie+
thanks so much girl! i can’t wait to see you. i never got to hang out the last time we met! i love what your creative director said. and i think it’s true! being in school is the time to play and explore all different options! i need to learn about vintage shopping. i suck at it and well, i somehow feel i look shitty in it too. i want vintage epaulets!
+julie+
yeah after i worked my butt off for a couple of competitions and when i realized the people who won, i also realized i’ll never be them. which i’m ok with actually, i know i have something i’m pleased with to add to my design portfolio! yeah one more year!!! can you imagine? i think this time next year i’m gonna be so excited to graduate i might literally pee in my pants. i’m glad you like the vest. it turned out really a lot softer (to touch) than i expected so it’s very relaxed in that way. it was made of washed bamboo satin which is heavenly! i need to take 360 degree photos next week when i’m completely done with the collection. you’ll like the back!
+darren+
the cape grows on you? really?? hahahaha! yayyyy!! yeah it’s sort of an overgrown epaulet tree! or ribbon or something!
+gala+
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww <3 <3 <3!!
+mavis+
jester? hmmm! i never thought of that! thanks! i guess it sort of looks like a bigger version of the jester collars?
+marie+
you’re so fierce i love youuuu!! <3 thanks… no, i definitely will stay true to myself. as long as i don’t turn into a angry little bitch before that, but i know who i am as a designer. very clearly actually. hopefully, just hopefully, it will all pay off one day!! crossing all my fingers toes and limbs!
+sunshine+
isn’t michael great in that hat? he’s the best. thank you so much. the dress actually looks pretty good even on my fat ass, so i’m sure you’ll look pretty darn cute in it!!
+dendoo+
haha, sometimes i think i’m from another planet too. it’s weird how i got to be this way, considering i’m from quite a conservative boring ol’ place. i guess, you just have to be the best weirdest person out there then! i hope this personal thing you’re struggling with gets over soon. be tough!
+zakuro+
自分らしさがあり続けるって本当にほんっとうに難しいよね！！ちょっと待って、ユーモラスっていい意味で？（笑）なんか、世界のファッション雑誌を厳しくチェックしてるザクロさんにデザインを見てもらうのはちょっと怖いけど！！でもケープいいでしょう？あたしも、そのケープが一番好きだから、先生にああいうこと言われたらちょっとショックうけちゃったんだね。結構早く立ち直ったけど。白いレザーパンツに似合いそう！それにmargielaのゴルドたびブーツを履きたい！（持ってないけど。でも超欲しい！）あたしはここで２年も経ってないよ。なんで飽きたのかよく分からないけど、多分パーソンズが
嫌いになりすぎたからニューヨークも嫌になったかな。ザクロさんは東京＋海外でうまくバランスとってるみたいでいいじゃん。あたしも世界飛びたい。まぁ、自分のお金が稼げるようになったらね。まだ卒業してないよ。今は３年生なの。だからあと１年頑張らなきゃ。baltic boyは何か面白そうで楽しみです。ハハ！
+ashe mischief+
oh wow if you weren’t a blogger/headpiece artist, you need to go into counseling! thank you so much! surely there must be others whom you know who do the same! i really do appreciate it though. <3
+elle+
hahahahaha well hurry up and get famous! yeah lack of sleep is just no good. especially for me, i love sleep. i’m gonna be working my ass off in summer! i have so much i wanna do. i’ll be learning about hats and working twice a week at this hat designer called eugenia kim, and the rest of it i’ll be taking extra classes and working on my own line! exciting stuff! what are you doing?
+hachi+
thanks so much. i think it really is sad when that happens. i’ve honestly never experienced it in this magnitude until i came to parsons. even my old fashion school in tokyo wasn’t like this. then again parsons is crazy and no wonder because the school president is a nutcase.
+lactose intoler-art+
maybe design professors here in the US are just anal bastards who bully us because they couldn’t get a job in the industry. actually that’s wrong of me to say that because not all of my teachers are arseholes. some are lovely and amazing teachers. some though, i know they are just bitter! i TOTALLY get what you mean about paying for tuition and receiving no guidance! i had to quit one of my mandatory digital classes in sophomore year and take it the next year, because i knew nothing about photoshop at that point (i was a transfer student from japan) and my teacher was a bitch who told me to buy a book instead of trying to help me. sometimes we really do need to be guided in a direction. i’m glad i managed to find one or two teachers here whom i trust and i know are really looking out for me. they will look at my stuff and say, “you need to explore this idea more”, or “this really doesn’t work for this collection”. maybe you need to seek out those teachers and some trustworthy friends. your art is great! i love it!! i feel like i’m drawing with my feet when i’m with my wacom tablet but you make it so cute and easy. not sure how long more of school you have but hang in there and keep drawing those people!
hello! when i saw your name in my email notification, for 2 seconds i thought you were spam!
Gilda – I just wanted to leave a quick note – I will read this post in full when I have time. For now though, I wanted to say I love your collection, and think it is great both conceptually and in real life.
Gilda, I truly, truly think your collection is beautiful, inspiring, unique, and inventive…just like you! And you obvs know you’re famous in my book (oh, hilarious twitter exchanges, how i love thee)! But for real, I think your perseverance and refusal to give up (and your loyalty to your family who is supporting you) is more than admirable!
Anyone who is truly themselves in the world is going to have their share of detractors because people are afraid of change, of what they don’t understand. (And most people fear the rejection of others so much they never reveal what their hearts really are telling them to do or say!) But ultimately we wouldn’t have accomplished anything as a society if nobody had thought outside of convention & dared to create. ok, so that’s a super dramatic and cheesy way to say that no matter how difficult, being your unique self means you are part of the solution. and you are adding to the beauty! the world doesn’t need any more basic blouses, they need gilda.
shine on lovely lady,
meliss
p.s. “Do not ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Harold Whitman
いい意味で。
ミリタリーをテーマって大抵、”ミリタリールック全体”をインスピレーションにするデザイナーが多いでしょ？過去のドルチェ＆ガッバーナの帝政ロシアにしろ、ジョン・ガリアーノのチェ・ゲバラ革命軍戦士やマックイーンのアメリカンソルジャーとか。もちろん、その数多くのデザイナーの中から、彼らはそれらのイメージをより特異なものとかより魅力的なものにしてるってメディアは取り上げてるよね。
けど、Gilda姫のこの作品では軍隊の「肩章」っていう存在物自体を全面に押し出してて、テーマが単にミリタリーの枠じゃない。
「ミリタリーの所有物からできたのに、ミリタリーじゃない」みたいな所が面白いなって。
Gilda姫の「肩章」をソースとした着眼点が面白い(interestingね)、個性的。ってこと。
世界中、飛びまわれるよ！
それを自分の何よりの目的にするなら♪
僕はしばらくファッション＆フォト業界から離れるよ。
自分が望んだ、違うフィールドの自分自身を見てみたい。
プライベートでは相変わらず、ファッション中毒だし、海外に飛ぶことには変わらないけどね。
仕事と趣味を一緒にできることはいいなって周りからよく言われるんだけど、好きな物事のマイナス的な側面を知ることは恐怖でもあり、それに立ち向かうことにはけっこうな勇気がいる。。。
そこで自分らしさを持ち続けかどうかだね♪
xxZ
You go, Gilda! I’m so happy to see people who follow what they believe in and stay true to themselves. In most circumstances, it makes me so mad when highly creative people are told to tone down their work in order to make them “commercially viable” because that’s all it is these days isn’t it, making money?
I loved your collection, I think it’s so out there and it really does reflect your true personality. Sometimes I wish I was creative with my clothes as you are.
Anyway, in the future, people will remember you for your crazy cool fashion sense and all those Parson clones will hardly be discernible from each other as they all melt into one big clone ball.
Keep up the great work!
Yes! SAY NO to the cookiecutter, Gilda!
<3
Oh Gilda!
I’m sad that school is disappointing you so much – I would have thought they would have given up trying to mold you by now (“too costumey” to “too conceptual” grrrr) and realised how brilliantly imaginative you are and decided to help you produce work that uses that! Good teaching that prepares you for a career should work with your strengths and get you to make the most out of your unique potential. But I’m so glad you’re not letting it get to you and are going to keep going with your own wonderful designs!
This post is actually really inspirational for me, there’s a few things getting me down at the moment, people not understanding the way I want to live my life, I’ve bookmarked this to come back to because I love the attitude and your message
I loved reading this and looking at your work! Hang in there and stay true to your convictions.
I’m not a designer, but I love writing about emerging designers and enjoy looking at truly creative pieces from new talent.
I’m glad you’re discovering your design “voice” and hope you will stick to your path. I can relate to your creative struggles, as I’m starting out on the writing side myself.
*big hugs to you*
Gilda,
I love that you are so creative. It’s such a shame that parsons tries to have a certain “look”. I get it if they are trying to get people jobs for clothes you can buy in a department store, but fashion is supposed to be fun and interesting.
I had a teacher tell me that I shouldn’t do music anymore, and I let him get to me, but now I’m going a different way around and I’m going to do what i want.
Keep being awesome and creative and lovely! you’re awesome!
<3
As someone who got kicked out of Kindergarten Teacher School ™ for “unorthodox thinking”, I feel your pain. It sucks, but don’t stop being you!
…y’know, until you have to so that you can eat.
nice collection… especially the one with a man standing behind. haha
I totally agree with you, Gilda. This is the prime reason why I have no answer when my parents ask me whether I will ever work in a big company or not. Because I don’t see myself work under someone and limit my creativity at all. Of course, I need to do some internship to learn the trade but seriously, I see myself being self-employed. The worst thing all education institutions do is limit students’ creativity. Even in design institutes and even in a simple art class. You are not allowed to draw what you want to and who expects kids to ever like art?
Excellent post!
such strong words! and i hear you through and through. but alas, such people exist in every corner of this earth, people who sell themselves out.
i never get it why it’s so hard for some people to be a supportive person. not sharing similar ideas doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world, that it’s all bad. i, myself, am getting tired of hearing people say shite to me about how i choose to live my life and do what i do.
i’m in awe of so many creative people out there, altho i don’t particularly use that style or relate to their style. but i can see their spirit, their voice, their opinions and i love that about people. you’re one of them, can i say.
keep going keep strong, you’re an inspiration to watch and learn from.
it is pretty obvious that all of the “greats” overtime were people that stood up for themselves so I think your rant is totally on track.
This post really spoke to me. For the past two years I have put up with extremely negative, discouraging and downright nasty comments from tutors in my college. Im a graphic design student. Their taste is saft, banal and dull. The only student in our class that gets the attention is the one that pulls off the most boring designs I have ever witness. Good but so so safe. I wasnt allowed express myself. Whenever I tried to do something that required a bit of thinking I was put down because people wouldnt get it. Well why do I have to pander to the lowest common denominator, does everything have to be spelled out? Its good to see that I am not the only one getting this treatment. We are all in this together!
Hey Gilda.
It’s always good to rant about all the other people that make our life a little bit miserable and hamper our creativity….. that’s for sure!
I’m sure the designer gods out there went through the same crap but that’s what made them different from the rest of the pack. You think?
We would never have visionaries if people didn’t do it their own way Gilda, and you are a visionary.
Love and luck always.
x x
I know exactly how you feel. The school I am at now has a “look” too…a very girly look which is the exact opposite of what I like or create. I study styling and keep getting credits or passes for my work…when I am the ONLY student who is actually out there WORKING in the field and who knows anything about styling at all…and I actually have more experience in STYLING than the bloody teachers!!! I find it hard to go to Uni every day, and am seriously considering quitting. It is actually holding me back from gaining more work because I don’t have time because we are at Uni 9-5 Mon to Thur! Not only that but the course is the most expensive fashion degree in my city, in the end it costs $60,000 compared to the $25,000 of a better Uni (that uni only offers a fashion degree, not styling though) I’m going crazyyy.
Go you! Stick to your guns and you’ll actually stand out from the crowd. I know what you mean when you say you don’t want to sign your name to something that you’ve been forced to change in order for it to be accepted.
Except the difference is that I get paid to accept the shit, and you have to pay to get it.
My BF is now a graduate architect and went through a lot of crap as well with the teachers not giving timely information on their assignments, and the resources dwindling year after year so the students had nowhere to work.
He’s been out for a year and a half now, and while he still has to bow to pressure of the big bosses he loves his job and gets paid now.
Hang in there!
Dear!
Many of us went through the same, and even worse, I dare to say. Giving up is not an option!
But, if you don’t like school. go to Antwerp in Belgium of Arnhem in Holland, it’s cheaper , too. There you can not be conceptual enough and “commercial” still counts as a dirty word.
keep the good work!
These are looking AMAZING, my dear! Congratulations x
Hello! i’ve never commented on here before but I’ve read a few of your posts. Being an aspiring fashion designer who is going to attend Parsons in the fall, I found your story very interesting. I can relate to you a lot and you’ve inspired me to be prepared to stand strong and be myself next year and always in life. Thank you and good luck!
oh and PS I love this collection! The “too conceptual” one is actually my favorite!
I love this article! I especially loved the bit about knowing what your right purpose is by getting into flow for hours without eating…that is DEFINITELY how I know I am passionate about a project.
You always speak of how hard it was to get your parents’ approval of your career choice, but c’mon. They sent you to freakin’ Parsons! That’s like 30K+ a year! I’m sure they believe in you 100% and it looks like you’re doin’em (and yourself) proud. I love your clothes, I think your creations are adorable, otherworldly, and playful.
I’ve had a few friends go to art school and the whole thing seems somewhat opposed to the creative process. Those in power want to feel authoritative and keep the younger designers, photographers, etc. in check and aligned with the teacher’s own personal vision. From what I’ve seen, art school is bullshit if you’re really trying to be creative but useful to actually get a foot into the business.
when i saw your ziggy cape i instantly wanted to try it on too!
there’s always barriers in whatever profession you do. you’ve been through a lot gilda and i know you’ll get through this without losing your style and soul. i know med is different to design but a few friends and i face barriers like “conforming to the medical student model.” just because we aren’t competitive and stab people in the back or have this obsession with studying every minute every day.. and rather prefer to drink cocktails, play streetfighter and sketch woman in burlesque outfits.
i know glida you’ll be a wonderful and amazing designer. don’t let them get to you. be proud that you are your own person. perfectly different
good luck!
I applaud you for sticking to your guns. If more people retained their childhood dreams and didn’t let it be beaten out of them for social conformity sake, we would be a much happier bunch. And when it comes to fashion, if everyone just wore what they felt happy in, no matter the “fashion-ability” of it, then you would have no problems with a collection being to conceptual. There would be no mainstream, no mediocre middle road dressing, and fashion designers could truly indulge themselves without fear of ridicule or not meeting a budget!
Call me when you go into production and I’ll be your biggest advocate this side of the sea.
Gilda I love the third dress so sleek and those muted gold accents are love..=)
http://www.fashionisthebestmedicine.blogspot.com
I really liked this article!
I’ve been told recently all my work takes a light hearted approach and been told I need to go the total opposite way which I did for one project, but I found myself so depressed and bored.
I’m glad that other people go through the same thing, it’s nice to hear what they think.
It sucks that the judges knocked your designs because they were too ‘conceptual’ or wouldn’t be the best selling item or whatever. The cape is interesting to look at! I haven’t seen anything like it, which gets big points from me, since it’s way more creative than something that is a zillionth version of something everyone’s seen a million times. And I really love the vest and the top under it. That is something I would honestly purchase. And using neoprene is such a different idea as well. I really like your creativity as a designer!
Uncanny, reading this post now, as my husband has been going through the exact thing in grad school (for art, painting mostly) and their critiques are HORRID. They only like the students who paint they way they paint (which, IMHO, is crap dull) and tear new assholes for those who don’t. How can this be constructive for creative types?? Don’t get it!
So, yes, you are so right, and I’m making him read this tomorrow and all of you in creative fields hang in there and please don’t conform. There’d be no innovative design if you did!
And Gilda, your 3 piece collection blows me away. Military inspired, it’s amazing, I would so buy from it.
i just finished my frshman year of fashion school. my school is not even close to the rigorosity of yours but i had this drawing teacher that wanted everyone to draw exactly the way she did it. i almost failed at drawing because of her, ’cause i didn’t want to accept every word of criticism she ever had. she never said good things about our work, all we had was flaws and everyone in class was pissed with it in the second month already.
i guess i would quit it in your shoes. but i like your work and i admire your drawings.
keep it up this way. if everyone was drawing the same things, fashion wouldn’t be this much fun.
hello, i’m claire.
I love that cape…love it love it. People are creepy to me because they don’t realize how self -centered they are. They think that if they don’t understand something , that it is wrong and anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong too! What?? We live amongst robots, it is proven to me everyday when someone makes a close-minded comment and is seconded by their hive. I just think “Oh, they must have the same motherboard” and walk on by. Robots. It gets frustrating at times, but finding posts like yours keeps hope alive for me!!
haha, posts like this are an interesting look at how my life might have worked out! I almost went to Parsons, but ended up at UArts in Philly doing Crafts (Fibers) and I’m damn glad of it. My actually construction knowledge is crap at the moment, but at least my teachers leave me be for the most part. I think too many teachers forget the fine line that exists between fashion and fine art (and in my case, Craft, I.D. and fine arts)is, in the end, unimportant. To say something is “too conceptual,” unless it literally doesn’t work or exsist as a garment, is a bit silly. Ahhh, then again, I’ll probably never sell a garment, hah!
oh my goddd. i just found out about your blog from finalfashion, and i love it! and what i love the most is that you’re a singaporean too. i find it really cool that although a lot of people say singaporeans have no creativity yadah yadah, you’re one of the people who will mark them wrong.
like ashley isham, i love you guys.
Looovely Gilda…
I haven’t looked at your blog for quite awhile, but I thought of it the other day, & I’m so glad I came back.
I love your attitude about fashion/designing/being true to yourself. I mean.. simply stated (& kind of cheesily…) you’re an inspiration to us all.
Thank you so much for being cool, I guess.
They are very cute