Crunch Time

I probably spent about 20 hours at my internship between this week and last week. It has been a pretty crazy time.



Last week we put on the Minnesota Design Diaries, an exhibit showcasing the clothes created by teen girls enrolled in Old Arizona's youth program. To celebrate the end of the program, there was a fashion show held in the Old Arizona theater where the girls and their designer mentors were able to show off their creations. It was wonderful to have watched the the entirety of this project: from when the girls met their partner designers two months ago, to the show where they modeled their clothes last Sunday.

Despite the fact that my greatest contribution to the show was that I painted the backdrop, (since I could neither sew nor drape fabric) I could not helping feeling a sense of pride as I heard the audience's applause. I think I was moved by this project because, after speaking with many of the girls, I realized that the power of being able to create something from nothing, then to be applauded for that achievement is a luxury that many of these girls hadn't experienced. Many of these girls grow up in poverty and struggle in many parts of their lives. Having an outlet where they are given the freedom to be creative and safe and cared for is very important. For many of the girls, these clothes were the first ones they've ever sewn and the event was also the first time that many of them got to stand up and be appreciated. It was incredible to see what a difference it made to have been given this attention. After the show, many of the girls were either ecstatic or beaming behind their shy smiles.

You can read what a fashion blogger thought about the show here: http://mnstyle.blogspot.com/2011/04/minnesota-design-diaries.html