Michelle Lopez: Fashion designer credits Mount Mary for her success

from Arches Magazine Fall 2020

BLM: Students weigh in on its meaning

FASHION DESIGNER CREDITS MOUNT MARY FOR HER SUCCESS Words Nancy Plascencia | Design Leslie Chavez | Photos provided by Michelle Lopez

Many women have walked the halls of Notre Dame, sitting in classrooms, taking notes and making friends. Some start their college experience here, and some transfer in, but Mount Mary can leave an impact on them all.

Michelle Lopez, a long-time Milwaukee resident, began classes at Mount Mary in 1999. Since then, she has become a designer and owner of the brands, theMINIclassy and MaskOn.MaskOff.

“I’ve literally loved fashion for as long as I can remember and always knew I wanted to be a fashion designer, so after I got married in 1998, I started looking at different schools with fashion programs, and eventually decided on Mount Mary because the program looked amazing, and I wanted to stay close to my family,” Lopez said.

Mount Mary University is known for its fashion program and was the first in the nation to start a four-year fashion degree program. Because of her love for fashion, it was no surprise that Lopez majored in apparel product development.

Lopez says Mount Mary helped her to grow into a more confident version of herself. “I definitely think Mount Mary helped me to become much more self-confident, independent and taught me a lot about responsibility,” Lopez said. “Growing up, I had (attention deficit disorder), and back then they didn’t know a lot about it, so school was difficult as I had a really hard time focusing, and I eventually kind of gave up on trying because I felt like such a failure.”

Although she had trouble focusing at a young age, Lopez found that she was able to set her mind on succeeding at Mount Mary. “I started at Mount Mary when I was 25 years old, and I think that being a bit older I was able to focus better and really apply myself,” Lopez said. “I started getting really good grades and being a very competitive person, I just kept trying to outdo myself, so it became like a game to me. I was able to get my GPA up to a 3.8 which was something I had never done before. It gave me something to strive for and is something I’m still super proud of.”

Lopez loved the strong community presence and the fact that class sizes were small to create a strong work environment.

“I love that some of the most valuable lessons I’ve ever learned would have to be from my classes at Mount Mary,” Lopez said. “A ton of emphasis was put on paying close attention to detail while focusing on construction and quality – those are still super important to me and I’ve literally applied them to everything I’ve done since. I also absolutely loved the smaller class sizes and the attention we got from the teachers/staff. Sister Aloyse (Hessburg) was my favorite.”

The small classes allowed Lopez to gain a sense of responsibility, which inspired her to be her best.

“I think, for me, that (small class sizes) really helped me to focus more and it made me feel more responsible for my actions because I felt like I was letting people down if I didn’t do my best,” Lopez said.

Along with the small classes, Lopez enjoyed the strong fashion program that Mount Mary was able to provide her with.

“A few more things (that I enjoyed) would be the amazing historic costume collection and ties to the fashion world. Being that we’re in Milwaukee, not a very fashionforward city, it was really cool that we had such a highlevel program and that we knew that what we were being taught was right on point,” Lopez said.

Lopez, along with her business partner, Andrea Dot- caught on all over the world. zauer, another Mount Mary alumna, were asked to be a “We’re the innovators of the Original Dino Harem – a part of the “Here’s to the Bold” campaign and to be judges luxe, drop-crotch harem pant with fabric ‘dinosaur’ spikes for Mount Mary’s CREO Fashion Show. down the sides, and since 2013, designers both big and

“We also were asked to be on the judges’ panel for the small have ‘borrowed’ the idea, and the addition of the ‘dino 2016 CREO Fashion Show and have worked with Sarah spike’ has become a huge fad worldwide,” Lopez said. “Our Eichhorn and Trish Kuehnl as guest speakers for a few of brand was also picked up by Barneys NY, Nordstrom, Fred their classes,” Lopez said. Segal and Ron Robinson in Beverly Hills.”

Lopez never got to graduate from Mount Mary due to Lopez’s new trend has landed her clothing items on some personal circumstances. She took a leave of absence and very famous people’s children like Kourtney Kardashian, was unable to get financial aid. Beyonce and Jay Z.

“I ended up having to pivot and went to school for aes- Lopez also launched a mask business due to the panthetics which landed me a job as a medical aesthetician,” demic called MaskOn.MaskOff. Lopez said. “I worked in that field for about eight years “Many of the graphic designs (on the masks) have a and eventually got back into fash- lot to do with the social and political ion/beauty in 2010 as a makeup artist/stylist.” “(Andrea and I) started theMI“My goal was to try to make the climate right now.” “My goal was to try to make the best out of a bad situation and create a NIclassy in 2013. At the time, we best out of a bad situation and create a product that allows people to express both had little kiddos and were sick of having to buy boring kids product that allows people to express themselves and their personalities through fashion while protecting others clothes that would fall apart after a few washings, so we decided to themselves and their personalities and themselves.” Lopez is also currently donating 25% take what we learned at Mount through fashion while protecting others of her proceeds to Black Lives Matter Mary and start a kids’ clothing brand,” Lopez said. “Instagram and themselves.” organizations. From April to August, she donated 100% of the proceeds to was just becoming popular, and we knew that we could use it as a global platform and as a free, -Michelle Lopez, the movement. Lopez has been able to donate almost $1,600. “I also collaborated on a cute little virtual showroom.” Much of Lopez’s inspiration designer and founder of theMINIclassy capsule collection with my 8-year-old daughter this summer called ‘Super came from streetwear culture, which includes New York hipand MaskOn.MaskOff. Kitty Sasha’ where we put some of her artwork on masks and donated 50% of hop fashion, California surf-skate the proceeds to the ASPCA (American culture and elements of sportswear, punk, Japanese street Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and to fashion and now, haute couture. the Villalobos Rescue Center from the show, Pitbulls and

Lopez said she wants her clothes to mean something. Parolees.”

“Well, our tagline is ‘Keep Your Head In The Clouds,’ Lopez has advice to give to aspiring designers and college which is a reminder to encourage kids to be themselves students. - to imagine, explore and create,” Lopez said. “Our goal “I think the best advice I can give is never be afraid to was to make garments that allow kids to feel good about be different, never give up, never be too scared to ask for themselves and be confident no matter what they’re wear- help and always give it your best,” Lopez said. “Believe in ing. I’m proud to say that’s something I know we’ve been yourself and follow your dreams. I wouldn’t be anywhere if I able to do.” did any different.” Lopez’s brand was able to create a new trend that