Fashion Ingénue

At the ripe age of 22, I had just made the cut off to attend Teen Vogue Fashion U. One of the things I noticed from my weekend, was how many self-assured and driven young women were there. I don't remember having that much self-confidence when I was in highschool.

I met 17 year old aspiring fashion designer Mariah Serrano at the Maybelline seminar. As we made our introductions, I noticed her large portfolio filled with sketches. She's from Long Island, New York so I asked if she'd like to be featured on Not A Model. 

Check out her interview and designs below. Who knows you may be wearing her clothes and seeing her name on your labels in the future.

Q: How or when did you get interested in fashion and design? 

M: "When I was little I used to watch movies at my grandmother's like My Fair Lady and Gone with the Wind. The costumes would mesmerize me. She was in fashion when she was young so she would help me make outfits for my barbies that looked like ones in the films." 

Q: Who is your favourite designer?

M: "Alexander McQueen, no, Galliano, no McQueen! Definitely McQueen. We have the same birthday. He just amazes me. Everything is so ugly-beautiful which in my opinion is the most beauteous beauty. He once designed legs for an amputee model Aimee Mullins and then he had her model in one of his shows. I'm an amputee so something like that really captures my heart."

Q: What influences your designs?

M: "Everything! Other designers, books, time periods, movies, girls I see on the street, nature. My favourite concept I've ever done was Alice in Space. It was a futuristic spin off of Alice in Wonderland. It was very fun to do."

Q: Where do you hope to see yourself in 5 years?
 
M: "Maybe working in theatrical costume design, maybe starting my own line of clothing. Either way I'll be doing something in design. I don't see myself anywhere else." 

 

  

  

  

Check out Mariah's blog at: missfashionfin.xanga.com