Help Imani Attend Design School

Hi, my name is Imani Antoine. I’m a 26-year-old New Jersey native and am ready to embark on my calling as a designer. Since I can recall I’ve been in love with the fashion industry. From seeing models on television like Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks; while trying to strut my stuff to pretending to sew on my late grand mother’s machines when she wasn’t looking, I never questioned what I wanted to be.

            As I grew older I started to realize that a lot of the people who looked like me weren’t on the forefront of the designing world. I idolized designers like Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Pnina Tornai, and Ralph Lauren just to name a few. But why were the pioneering black designers like Dapper Dan not receiving as much recognition as some of fashion’s heavy hitters? It’s like I had to dig deep to research the talents of my people.

            And the best of them all in my eyes was my grandmother Josie B. Smith. My grandmother had such a beautiful eye for flattering the body of a woman. She would drape some of the most underrated fabrics and turn them into master pieces. She told me that sewing was like solving a puzzle. You put your idea together piece by piece and it’ll come to life! She left all of her sewing equipment to me which I consider be a one of my puzzle pieces.

            I continued to keep going to learn more and more about designing. I attended a vocational high school and was eager to be apart of the fashion design and merchandising program. There I learned the basics, how to thread a machine and read commercial pattern instructions. After obtaining my diploma I wanted to know more! I was on a mission to being the representation my people needed in the industry. I decided to attend Delaware State University where I majored in Textiles and Apparel. This was great but I believe it prepared me more for the business of fashion world as in retail management rather than having a design background. Post graduation I felt myself slipping and straying away from my dream as a designer. I knew I wanted to make apparel but bills had to be paid and I was officially an adult. Merchandising seemed to be the closest I could get to designing as it allowed me to be creative. But somehow I still felt put into a box. I was excelling in the fashion industry but not in the exact way I wanted to!

            After doing much research I came across MADE. I began looking at all Made had to offer and started to fall in love. I knew that Made was exactly where I needed to be to fulfill my dream. Although Made seemed to be the perfect fit, I became a little discouraged because I knew paying for tuition would be my biggest challenge. So I decided not to apply. Now I am a firm believer that when something is for you it WILL happen in God’s timing.

            So now you ask why MADE Institute? Made is the next step in helping me to fulfill my destiny as an evening wear designer. I want to attend MADE to be the household name for all the little girls to come that look just like me! I want to shake up the fashion industry and truly show how diverse it can be! I plan to carry on my grandmother’s legacy with a brand in her name. I am choosing Made because it is another puzzle piece to bringing my dreams to life! Anything you can give to help me pursue my dream will be received as a blessing. Thank you so much in advance.