Gucci Museum

I'm Kelcie McCurdy, a fashion designer and writer from Northwest Oregon. I moved to Chicago at age 17 to attend Columbia College. For the past three years, Chicago has been my home and inspiration. I chose to major in fashion design because it is a form of art that people can truly connect with. We use it to alter the way others view us and the way we view ourselves.

One month after moving to the city, I acquired a job sewing and assisting in the design of hats, handbags, scarves, and other accessories for Mojo Spa, a beauty and nail spa. I have also volunteered at Columbia College's own historical fashion collection; interned at Jermikko, an outter wear company; and interned at Purely Fashion, a tech start-up.

In addition to fashion design, I also have a love of writing. I cling to traditional print journalism and paperback books. I love to read what others have to say and share my own experiences through writing. I hope to one day combine my two passions by working for a fashion magazine. For this reason, I am also pursuing a Journalism minor at Columbia College.

I have always dreamed of traveling to Europe. This summer, that dream came true for me. I can't wait to experience the culture of Italy and share my adventures with you!

"Get up, dress up, show up, and never give up." 

My name is Emily Clark I am a senior at Columbia College Chicago majoring in Fashion Business. I am originally from Oak Park, Illinois which is right outside of the city. I have a blog that includes fashion, styling, and beauty inspiration/advice. In addition to that, I have also worked on a blog about the crime rate in Chicago blog. I did an internship at a showroom at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago called Koastal Konnection my spring semester of 2014; it was a great experience and I loved it. Living in Chicago has opened my eyes to so much fashion, art, and culture that I try to incorporate all this inspiration into my work. In my free time I love to attend fashion shows, try new restaurants, hang out with friends, cuddle with my dog Cooper, and travel lots! I am graduating in the spring of 2015 and hope to start building a career within a fashion or retail company. 

"Your love of life can carry you through any circumstance"

Above is my favorite quote that I try to remind myself of each and every day. I'm Tricia Patras, an eccentric 20 year old currently residing in the beautiful and inspiring city of Chicago. I was born and raised in a suburb called Hinsdale which is a little over 25 minutes out of the city. I was raised to be independent and to never be discouraged to do anything that I desire. I have never thought twice about an opportunity. Even if I didn't gain a positive experience from it, I always at least gained strength and motivation to keep trying for the next opportunity to come. I value my family, my incredible chosen family, and most importantly; my creativity. 

I find myself trying to expand my creativity by going to as many art gallery openings, art walks, and cheap concerts as I can. I have a passion for acting and singing but have decided to focus on my career in fashion for the moment. I have always had an eye and excitement for fashion and thought that I should challenge myself by going to school for that specific field of study. This is what brought me to Columbia College last fall. I am a Fashion Design major with a minor in Fashion Business. I have an incredibly rewarding job as a stylist at Anthropologie and have realized how much I enjoy helping people instill confidence within themselves through their clothing. From this realization, I decided to study more about different fashions within cultures around the world. This reason is why I took the leap to study abroad in Florence, Italy by myself this summer. I have realized that sometimes taking risks like this will ultimately make you the best person that you were supposed to be and with this said, I couldn't be happier with my decision to make myself more cultured and explore the beauty of the world. Because sometime life may be hard, but it is always beautiful. 

Ciao! My name is Jessica Shroka. I grew up in the small town of Shabbona, Illinois surrounded by cornfields. I graduated at the top of my class and attended Northern Illinois University for my freshman year of college before I realized I was meant to live in the city where I could pursue my dream and passion for writing and fashion. My sophomore year I transferred to Columbia where I now have an interdisciplinary major of fashion business and journalism. Staying positive and being thankful for everything I have is what I live by. I worked for Express clothing store as a visual associate for a little over a year where I styled mannequins, designed window displays and floor sets, and assisted in keeping displays neat and appealing to the eye. I now work as a party planner and host for VIP Bachelorette.

I strongly believe that life only has the limits you make for yourself. I will never stop until I complete my goals and dreams I set for myself. I would love a career working for a fashion magazine writing about different places, cultures, and fashions all around the world. I take every opportunity I get to experience new things. I will never let myself fail. A great man and one of my true inspirations, John F. Kennedy once said, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.”