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Hello To All,
I am a young African American Female Designer (age:17) I am currently doing a lot of networking and participating in fashion shows to introduce my clothes, build my name up and meet new people.However no matter what I do or how hard I try I find a lot of older designers and people in the industry that I look up to are downing everything I do. Instead of helping me, They say "Your too young to be taken seriously" or "I doubt that you'll make it in fashion, why don't you think more realistic or practical?".... and the worse... "How many black designers do you know?.." Thank the Lord I have tough skin and don't allow negative people to get to me! I am currently seeking supporters, (support me and I will support you!) my grandmother always say's it's a blessing to be a blessing and If I can help n e one out I am up for it! Moving on, to the reason why I actually started this post... I am curious to know if anyone had any advice for me as I continue on my journey as a young fashion designer??? I never turn down an opportunity to learn from anyone or at least here there opinion! So please comment me, or reply back (negative or positive) because every little thing helps!
Thank you soo much & God Bless!
Love to All...
Angunae'

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Please continue in your journey towards becoming a fashion designer - i am black, female and young like you and just starting out in london too! and i get the same responses you are getting, worsened by the fact that i didnt go to fashion school!
Dear Ronke,

I am relieved to know that I am not alone in the responses that I recieve! Somtimes I wish that I could just shake people and make them understand that being a designer or (anything else) is not about skin color,looks, age, social status. It's about the drive inside of you. That passion, that uncontrollable feeling that makes everything your doing to make your dreams come true worth-while. When at the end of the day you might not be where you want to be, or things might have not gone your way, or maybe you want to give up... but you STILL KEEP GOING, because it's juss that important to you, because you have the desire to do what ever it takes... because it's everything you've ever wanted! You know what I'm taking about??? It's not about what everyone else thinks it's about you...I feel like you can be anything that you want to be, all you need is the mind set, education/information and the passion to do it! I wish you the best in everthing that you do! I think education is the key to sucess but it's different strokes for different folks, and sooo what if you didn't go to fashion school... that was your choice that you and only you could make, So forget those other people as long as you've got that fire in your heart that's all that matters, and you could always go back to school if you pleased... so have fun, take chances, live life to the fullest for tomorrow is not pomised!
Thanks For the Reply
God Bless
Angunae'
Well done!
I wish i had the guts to start younger but instead i let myself distract from my dreams. Keep focus, do not let anyone's reality become your reality. The younger the better to start a career, for any mistakes that you'll make you'll time on your side to fix and learn from them, when you are older, your are more distracted by life, family,bills etc..
your youth is your strengh and your advantage. Make your mark Kid, Shine!
Dear M,

Thanks! I'm giving it my all!!! I apprecitate the encouragement and I wish you well in everything you do!



God Bless,
Angunae'
I'm sorry that you are having a tough time getting your foot into the door. Fashion is a very cut-throat industry (which I too am learning myself). However, you have to be able to grin and bare it as it seems you've been able to do. All designers are scrutinized--- even the best of the best. So, you need to concentrate on your purpose and take all of the negative energy with a grain of salt! Good luck!!!
Dear Nakia,
Thanks! I am doing my best! I've realized that for every 1person for you there is 5 against you. So I keep telling myself for every 100 reasons the world gives me to cry imma give them 1,000 reasons to smile!!!..lol && that everything happens for a reason and at the end of the day if I give my all and then some...to help one person... and it makes them smile.. it's all worth it! As long as God keeps opening doors for me, and making a way, I will walk through them!
God Bless,
Angunae'
Wow this post is very interesting. We have some things in common. I am a young african american designer. I am 20 years young and I started designing about a year ago. I started out doing the same thing. I searched for the best seamstress, looked for as much exposure as possible and everything. My plan is to open a boutique next year for my 21st birthday to house my collection. I am working on a a launch fashion show next year and I want to help upcoming designers gain exposure. I feel that helping others is very important. So, my advice to you is to turn all negative advice into positive advice. Dont let anyone tell you that you are to young. As long as you have a voice, you can do whatever it is that your heart desires. Every successful person has a story to tell and this is yours. I think you are going to be a very successful designer. We are all going to have people "hating" no matter how big or well-known you are. Well, I hope my advice has been helpful to you. I also have a fashion blog so if you want me to write a post about you & your designs, I will love to do so. So, let me know.

My email: is zhahnruh09@yahoo.com
Blog Address: designnmayhem-ayekay.blogspot.com
Dear Ashley,

Thankx for the reply! I appreciate it soo much & I would love to be apart of your fashion blog. I wish you we'll & success in your career. I pray that you are truly blessed. Thank you for the encouraging words & support! I will be participating in a fashion show in Oct. here in IN, if you are in town.. you should stop by or I will send you pictures and you can let me know what you think! Thanks again,
God Bless,
Angunae'
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Hi,
Be careful not to hooked by design schools. Design and art are two very different fields. Today I encounter a lot of art students who go for a degree in visual communications thinking they will be able to support themselves and be able to express their art at the same time. Vis. Com. is not about art. It is about communicating an Idea.

Fashion Professionals Network
Hello, Cronus Meinhard

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure if you read through my post or not lol... but i'm not going out for visual communications...(or Digi career) as we call it here. Unless by Vis. Com. you mean fashion design.. then i'm sorry I didn't understand the term you used. However, fashion design is art too me, it's art for the body! Not to be disrespectful in any way of form. God has blessed me to find a school that understands what I want to do in life & teachers who will help me make things happen. I think that the different views that everyone has about art, what is art... and what it means to them although skills and crafts can be soo different... its all a form of expression that can fall under one catagory 'ART"! LOL... Not saying that it's all one job..lol I'm saying... where all connected :)

God Bless,
thanx for the response
Angunae'

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