Scott Hayes | [email protected]
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Being so far away from family and one鈥檚 homeland can make post-secondary education an even greater challenge than it already is.
Itzel Rodriguez agrees, though her culture and traditions were never that far. Truth be told, her family and her culture are right there with her. Just take one look at her collection of garments that she presented in Mass Exodus, the grad show for her undergraduate degree in Fashion Design at the Toronto Metropolitan University.聽
鈥淚t's a collection that aims to merge the concept of ready to wear and avant-garde to increase the wearability of intricate pieces,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he inspiration behind it is La Catrina, which is the significant Mexican character who's the symbol of the tradition of the Day of the Dead. She basically represents the celebration of life.鈥�
The collection serves as an ode to her background and culture. The dresses feature striking reds and vibrant blues with skirts, poms and epaulets that are unmistakably Mexican in origin.聽
She has been working toward this her whole young life. Rodriguez, who turns 22 next month, said that this is her dream coming true.
Ever since she was little, she would sketch clothes a lot and say that she wanted to be a fashion designer.
When she found out that this school offered the program, she thought, 鈥淚t would be a great fit.鈥�
As it turns out, she also lucked out in enrolling in the last offering of a more traditional fashion education as well.
鈥淲e're actually the last generation of the old curriculum. Ever since 2020, they have recently changed it and now there's different specializations. When I entered the program, there was only Fashion Design and Fashion Communications. Now they're able to specialize in textiles and dyeing techniques and all of that sort,鈥� she said.
鈥淚'm actually happy with being in the old curriculum, because I've heard that a lot of the students are not required to take the important classes where you learn the fundamentals of sewing or drafting the pattern pieces for their garments. I think ours is better structured.鈥�
All of that training paid off. Mass Exodus was her first fashion show, and it was a great experience but a very stressful one, she said. Each participant had to find their own models, and makeup and hair artists. There was a ton of planning beforehand also, meaning a lot of details that needed to be stitched up.
鈥淚 think it was worth it,鈥� she said.
Now that her schooling is done, she intends to stay on in Toronto. It will be a little bit tough to continue to be so far away from her family in Jasper, she admitted, but it鈥檚 well worth it for her designs, her dreams and her career. She can call herself a designer, but it鈥檚 a very competitive industry to make a name in.
鈥淚 feel like I'm not completely ready. I'm looking for a job right now, and I do want to gain a lot of experience and then maybe in a couple of years, I鈥檇 like to start my own brand,鈥� she said.
