There’s nothing a pair of scissors can’t fix.

That’s how junior Chloe Wu-Breshears, treasurer of Fashion Club, views the production of clothing. She and other club members contribute to the  unique range of backgrounds, inspirations and personal tastes found in room F112 every other Monday. Encouraging an environment that promotes collaboration and creativity, explore Fashion Club’s members and their love for fashion.

Sophomore Chloe Wu-Breshears (Treasurer)

EE: When did you start to become really interested in the fashion industry?

CWB: Around five years old, [I began] experimenting with my clothes. [I was] just drawing stuff; there were actually these books that my parents would buy me that were you’ll have a cartoon model that you would draw clothes on.

EE: What drew you to the art of fashion?

CWB: I think it was both the aesthetic and also like the idea that clothes are the first thing that people see of you. I really liked the idea that you could express yourself before […] you can start talking.

EE: Do you have any fashion icons?

CWB: I do like Coco Chanel, but I do like fashion from all different parts of the world. Korean fashion is a big one recently and also French, Italian.

EE: What materials do you enjoy working with for designing clothing?

CWB: I had a recent phase of really liking sheer things, so like, like tulle and chiffon. I really like using different textures for clothing, especially since I like doing more avant garde pieces. So [mainly, I like] tulles, silk, velvet.

EE: What are your favorite items to make?

CWB: It would probably be dresses—big dresses like ballgown—but also just runway pieces that are not everyday wear.

EE: Do you wear the dresses you create?

CWB: Sometimes I make a smaller version [of my designs] for a dance or photo shoot, but not daily.

EE: Do you foresee a future in fashion for yourself?

CWB: I definitely want to go into the industry, but fashion is a little bit risky for just an art major. So, I actually want to like go into [making an] entrepreneurship out of fashion and create a business from it instead of just designing clothes.

Senior Chantelle Chang (Co-President)

EE: When did you start to become really interested in the fashion industry?

CC: I grew up learning how to sew because of my aunts. When I grew up, my mom was a single mom and then my aunt came to live with us. She was really into like sewing and making clothes and she’d always alter my clothes. […] She told me, ‘Okay, so this might be like oh this might be good for your future if you know how to do it.’”

EE: What drew you to the art of fashion?

CC:  In middle school, I really got into more of the sketching and art, and I started taking classes on how to sew. When I came to Monta Vista, I realized they have the club, so I was like, ‘I have to join.’

EE: Do you have any fashion icons?

CC: Not really. I just kind of look at people around me because I definitely like more of a casual style.

EE: What materials do you enjoy working with for designing clothing?

CC: I like lightweight materials; I do like cotton. I also really like mixed fabrics. When it does come to heavier materials, I like pairing it with something light.

EE: How has the state of the Fashion Club changed throughout the years?

CC: [When I first joined,] there weren’t a lot of people in the club because a lot of them just graduated. Then, we had to rebuild the club. I got an officer position [Secretary] my sophomore year and then it was just uphill from there.

EE: How did you expand the club?

CC: We had to definitely broaden what we did in our club because before, we had a lot of people who already knew how to sew. [We didn’t have that anymore.] We had sewing sessions where we’d sew together and if people have questions, [they could ask.] Some people just liked designing and don’t even have a sewing machine, so they find [sewing] so intimidating. So then we do like small projects during lunch time—during our meetings—and then we told them, ‘Even if you just want to design, it’s okay.’

EE: Is there a specific environment you’re trying to nurture within the club?

CC: There’s definitely a collaborative element. In the previous year, we had two fashion shows. The first one, because everyone still kind of getting to know each other and [how to] sew, we had them in groups. […] And then it really helped a lot [when] each group had one officer leader that helped them. This year, we’re trying to do the same thing.

Models pose in items created by Chantelle Chang in the 2018 Fashion Show. Chang’s creations range from skirts to jackets. Photos courtesy of El Estoque.

Freshman Nabeeha Ahsan (Staff)

EE: When did you start to become really interested in the fashion industry?

NA: When I was maybe in middle school, I started sketching clothes a lot, so I asked my parents to buy me a fashion sketchbook. So, I started making designs from there.

EE: Do you have any fashion icons?

NA: A lot of celebrities have good fashion sense. Like for example, maybe Zendaya and Travis Scott.

EE: What style of fashion do you design?

NA: So far I’ve done some [older-style pieces], but for the club, we were thinking about the theme of street style.

EE: What materials do you enjoy working with for designing clothing?

NA: Usually I like to take an old [piece of] clothing and I like to make it into something new. Then, usually we go to the fabric store and then we buy whatever [we need] and then we attach more — like we change the clothes, maybe replace them arms.

EE: Do you wear the items you create?

NA: I haven’t really—I don’t, not in public. I’m a little scared to see what everybody else will think of it.

EE: Do you foresee a future in fashion for yourself?

NA: I think if I improved a lot; it’s a little early to tell.