Photo by Daniel Alvarez

By Daniel Alvarez

Student Life Editor

Name: Tara Wright
Major: Fashion Design
Year: Fourth-year
Hometown: Denton, Texas

District: When did you decide you wanted to pursue a career in fashion?

Tara Wright: When I was about five. As a kid, I used to watch the award shows and see the red carpet and think, “I want to do that!” I’d check out books from the library and started teaching myself how to draw fashion.

District: What was your inspiration behind your collection?

Wright: It’s Holly Hobby meets Lisa Frank meets Gus Gus from Cinderella.

District: What was the most challenging aspect of the senior collection process?

Wright: Probably pushing through those road blocks that you get when you’re in the design process, and realizing that when you hit that low point that the really good breakthrough is right around the corner and that it will be really worth it.

District: Who has been the most influential person when developing your collection?

Wright: Overall, it would probably be my grandfather. He and I were extremely close, we had the same birthday. So I decided to name my fashion line after him. Whenever I was doing anything, he was always in the back of my mind. His name was Francesco Giancarlo. My line is called Cesca. As far as SCAD, I’d say Evelyn Pappas, my Senior II and III professor. She was my first fashion professor at SCAD. She’s like a second mom to me.

District: Who would be your dream designer to work alongside?

Wright:: Well, as far as children’s wear – that’s what I do – it would be Oilily.

District: If you could go back, are there any aspects of your collection you wish you could change? What?

Wright: If I could do it all over again, I think I’d decide to do less handwork (laughs). I don’t like using the machine for everything. I hand-bound all my interior seams, and hand-crochet a lot of stuff; I think I’d probably outsource some of that.

District: Out of your fellow designers, whose collection is your favorite?

Wright: That’s a really hard choice… I’d probably say Patricia Garcia’s collection, just because of her use of fabric manipulation. And then Karis Fox, she also has an interesting collection.

District: What are your plans after graduating?

Wright: I’m actually starting my own business in Savannah. I hope it’ll go nationwide, but it’s going to start as custom orders.

District: Do you have any advice for future seniors when starting senior collection?

Wright: Stick to your guns, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.