Jenna Jerome

Growing up in a modest town outside Dallas, Texas did not discourage my curiosity and adoration for the world of high fashion. Even though my biggest source was through television and films, my most meaningful experiences involved shopping trips with my mother. On very special occasions we would visit stores where we could look and touch, but not buy. These trips left my head swimming with dreams of fine silks that seemed to float through my fingers; hand-stitched embellishments done in intricate patterns and textures and unique silhouettes handcrafted and tailored to perfection. To me, this was part of an exclusive club that I had to join someday.

My journey in fashion design officially began at Baylor University in Waco Texas. After four years of learning everything about the fashion industry from low-income fashion to haute couture, I came away with several fashion design accolades. During 2006 and 2007 recognition from Baylor University included “Best Surface Design”, “Most Creative Senior Collection” and “Best Senior Collection.” The Fashion Group International’s Dallas Career Day Competition also recognized my design and gave me honorable mention in the “Diffa Jacket Competition” out of hundreds of submissions, both in 2004 and 2006.

Before graduating, I spent two summers studying abroad in France and Italy studying trend forecasting as well as further broadening my horizons by studying French foreign language. I also spent time working for the Director of Baylor University’s Fashion Design Department for 2 years, I helped organize and teach sewing classes, work on making flat pattern pieces by hand, and digitize them into our CAD program. Finally, I would research and put together trend boards and presentations. My final year of my college experience resulted in being selected to serve as Fashion Design Ambassador. This responsibility included speaking with prospective students and parents about the Baylor Fashion Design program. Sharing my experiences and knowledge as a current student of the Fashion Design Department was tremendously rewarding.

Afterwards, I was privileged to complete my required internship in New York City where I spent a combined total of 4 months with design houses Betsey Johnson and Jill Stuart. There I learned everything from conception and design to promotion and sales all from two designers with very different points of view. The dichotomy of their perspective in the industry taught me while the design structure is similar; the thought process in designing is completely geared towards how the target customer thinks.

Since then, by working as a wholesale sales representative in the heart of the fashion industry in New York, I have gained essential knowledge and skills, which I consistently apply to my own freelance design work. In addition, I continuously seek opportunities for self-improvement. For instance, I enjoy taking the time to learn new and valuable techniques in draping, knitting, embellishment and screen-printing. I also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for the spring of 2009 learning valuable techniques in fashion illustration.