Jayden Robinson

The Importance of a Role Model

Jayden Robinson

Growing up, I always knew that I wanted a career in the fashion industry. My Aunt, a business owner who has her own clothing line, is actually the reason I want to pursue a career in the fashion industry. She has always been a big inspiration to me because of her drive, her strong personality, and of course her sense of style. It almost seemed like she was destined to be a business woman and her own boss. Without her being my role model I might not have stuck with my desired career path in fashion. Role models play a big role in shaping the person that looks up to them. An article by Fayyaz (2018) says, “Having role models in our life is very important, and having good role models is more important, as they influence what we do and how we turn out eventually” (Fayyaz, 2018). Her sharing her numerous stories of why she got into fashion intrigued me back when I was younger. She would say, “One time I had to make a dress in two days, and I was an inexperienced designer, but somehow I knew I’d get it done, and sure enough I got a pretty decent grade for my first dress.” I felt a sense of inspiration, because I figured if she managed to create something that beautiful in that short amount of time, being inexperienced, then I can do it too.

Seeing that she was able to overcome an obstacle like that really inspired me. Fayyaz (2018) says, “Though they may have their flaws (who doesn’t?) they should be inspiring in spite of their weaknesses. This will help us to see how it is possible to overcome or simply turn a weakness into a strength, and not let flaws hold us back from being the best of us” (Fayyaz, 2018). Overtime, watching her create beautiful, unique garments, and tagging along with her to different fashion shows, made me fall in love with fashion. I’ve wanted to be a designer ever since. Seeing the different fabrics and techniques intrigued me. The first couple of times she had taken me to a fashion show, I didn’t really know what to expect. Something about being able to bring out your best outfits, and show up to a fashion event. Looking into the crowd seeing everyone with anxious, yet exciting looks on their faces, wearing their most stylish clothing. As I looked into the crowd I saw fine fabrics like corduroy, denim, velour, and many more fine fabrics. I remember seeing men wearing fedoras and women with their hair done beautifully with all different hair textures and colors. I felt like I was supposed to be there, because I had the same look of anxiety, but at the same time I had felt as if I was already living in my dream. My heart felt warm but had a beat similar to the speed of a cheetah. Seeing all of the clothing the models wore and seeing the creators motivated me more and more. Seeing that all of the creators looked like me and some of them even came from where I grew up, so seeing that gave me a lot of hope for my future as a designer. They all came from Dorchester, Boston and or surrounding areas. Some came from poverty filled areas in neighborhoods near mine. Also, Seeing the creators that looked like me was a very important moment for me because in my mind, they were a live representation of who i want to be in the near future, and seeing their talent and success made me want to have a career in fashion. I remember watching my aunt sew, trying to understand how she did things so that eventually I would be able to mimic her techniques. Vyas says, “A person whose values and actions you can emulate. That’s what a role model is” (Vyas, 2018). What Vyas is saying in this quote is when you have a role model you tend to want to imitate the good things/ strategies you see them do. She handled the fabric like it was a delicate flower, her face looked as if her designs had been the only thing on her mind at that very moment. I remember her showing me a beautiful cherry red dress, with tassel-like additions. It was beautiful looking at her creation and it really moved and inspired me to make beautiful creations of my own. Even watching my mother and aunt get all dressed up to go out made me want to get into fashion. Vyas (2018) says, “One of the major advantages of having someone as a role model is that they act as a constant source of inspiration” (Vyas, 2018). I remember one night my mother wore black pleather thigh high heel boots, and a cotton long sleeve burgundy form fitting dress. My aunt wore a black fitted dress, short black heeled boots, and a cropped Jean jacket. Seeing the way they put their outfits together, and seeing the way their beautiful golden jewelry looked on their warm brown skin mesmerized me. That’s how I knew fashion was going to be the career for me.

References

Fayyaz, N. (2018, September 29). “Why role models are important”. https://www.dawn.com/news/1435581 Vyas, A. (2018, May 24). “5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Have

A Role Model”. https://www.missmalini.com/2022/01/10/difference-between-natural-and-organic-skincare-for-kids/