Guest Speaking at California State University Sacramento- The Summer Fashion Academy 2018

Cal State Sacramento Signage on campus. Photo: Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel

Yesterday, Thursday, June 28th, 2018, I had the privilege of being a guest speaker to a class room full of high school students, who were taking the summer course: Summer Fashion Academy at California State University Sacramento! I was invited by College Professor, Mrs. Esther Amato, to guest speak at the Cal State University Sacramento: Summer Fashion Academy, and to share with the students my fashion designs, my design process, and my inspiration! 

​The Summer Academy is a week long course for High School Students that focuses on various specific careers. Sacramento State offers Summer Academy courses for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Future Teachers, Cyber Security, Democracy in Action, Coding, Engineering, Robotics, Fire & Emergency Services, Forensics, Health, Law Enforcement, Biotechnology, Multimedia Journalism, Theater & Performing Arts, and... Fashion! These courses offer hands-on, real-world projects, an introduction to the college experience, and career opportunities in the field studied. The Summer Fashion Academy teaches students how a concept becomes a product, as well as fashion illustration, marketing, and merchandising! 

Here I am (fifth from the left), with the Summer Fashion Academy 2018 Students! Their projects are displayed behind us, as well as a rolling rack with my designs that I brought!

The Summer Fashion Academy took place during the week of June 25th, through June 29th. Each day students attend an all day class, broken up into two segments. From 8:30am until 1pm, they are taught by the amazing Dr. Ernie Olsen. While I was going to Fashion Design College at The International Academy of Design and Technology, Dr. Ernie Olsen was a substitute teacher for a Fashion Illustration course that I was taking. He is such a talented illustrator! I learned so much from him in just one day! The afternoon segment of the Summer Fashion Academy, takes place between 1:30pm and 5pm, and is taught by the fabulous Mrs. Esther Amato. Mrs. Amato was also a college professor of mine during my college days at IADT. She herself is a former fashion designer who specialized in Designer Denim. Her clothing featured intricate design details and were sold in high-end retail stores like Nordstrom. Mrs. Amato knows the 'ins and outs' of the fashion industry from concept to design, as well as apparel production, and marketing! She too is a wonderfully talented fashion illustrator and instructor! These students will surely learn so much! 

Here I am (Right), with the fabulous college professor, Mrs. Esther Amato (Left).

During the week of learning, Mrs. Amato brought in several guest speakers, including Carolyn Hearn, a Jewelry Designer, Garry Simpson, a Fashion Designer and Artist, as well as a local stylist. I was excited to be included among the presenters to speak to the students! 

Yesterday, I brought to the classroom several looks from my current and past collections, as well as a skirt that I had made in college. I wanted to emphasize the artistic embellishments that I enjoy adding to my fashion creations, such as hand-embroidery, hand-beadwork, and hand-painted motifs. I explained how I am inspired to create my collections, how I choose fabrics and findings, and how I create patterns for the outfits. I brought a pattern that I had drafted, as well as the skirt I had made from that pattern. I explained how I drafted the pattern, then I passed around my garments and the pattern, so that the students could see up close the design process and the final product. The students were very interested in how to participate in fashion shows, so I gave them some tips for networking, and shared with them some runway photos of my designs. I also passed around the new magazine I helped to create, Oakland Fashion Week Art & Style Magazine. I wanted to show them that there are many avenues within the fashion industry that they could pursue. I told them how by creating this fashion blog, it opened up the opportunity for me to become Creative Director of Oakland Fashion Week Art & Style Magazine! 

Projects displayed in the classroom of the Summer Fashion Academy students work. Photo: Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel

Projects displayed in the classroom of the Summer Fashion Academy students work. Photo: Roxanne Rodriguez Rangel

I was very impressed by the completed projects that the students had made during their week of participating in the Summer Fashion Academy! I can tell that these students have a talent for design! I sincerely hope that they are continually inspired to pursue education and a future career in Fashion!  

​Here are a few photos of my presentation! 

Here I am, speaking to the students about pattern making. Photo: Esther Amato

Here I am, showing the students Oakland Fashion Week Art & Style Magazine! Photo: Esther Amato

This is my Hand-Painted Minoan Inspired Skirt that I created in Art History Class, as a final project back in college. Photo: Esther Amato

A student looking through a Look Book of my past designs. Photo: Esther Amato

While visiting the university campus, I learned that Cal State University Sacramento offers degree programs in both Fashion Design & Merchandising as well as Apparel Marketing & Design! I did not know that previously!
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Learn more about the Summer Fashion Academy by watching this video clip from Good Day Sacramento!

Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience as a Guest Speaker to the Summer Fashion Academy at Cal State University Sacramento! Keep reading my blog to stay updated on the future events I participate in! 

Here I am, on campus at Cal State University Sacramento . My Outfit of the day included a skirt made in Nigeria!

Related Links: 

A Photo Journey...My College Career as a Fashion Design Student 

Dinner with a Brainiac

An Interview with My First Sewing Student!