“If someone asked me four months ago, ‘Are you ever going to go to Paris?’ or, ‘Are you ever going to walk for Paris Fashion Week?’ I’d be like ‘No,’” said Ryan James Smith as he smoothed out the creases of his muslin pattern and adjusted a pin while working in SCAD’s Eckberg Hall. Over the summer, Smith, a fourth-year fashion major, was interning with up-and-coming designer Karolyn Pho when he had the opportunity to walk on the runway for fashion designer Rick Owens at his show at Paris Fashion Week. District caught up with Smith this fall to learn a little bit about his whirlwind summer.
What was the experience interning for Karolyn Pho like, and how do you think your time at SCAD affected that?
Working with Karolyn was a great experience. Not only was she an incredible boss, she ended up being a good friend. I’ll be returning to NYC for winter break to continue working with her. Most of my responsibilities were on the creative and hands-on [side] of things. It was amazing to work with someone that considered my ideas as valid options.
I think the year I spent at the Hong Kong campus really helped me acclimate to the city a lot faster than I would’ve otherwise. Also, the fast-paced nature of our 10 week quarters allowed me to keep up.
Can you explain how the opportunity to walk for Rick Owens came about?
They took a video at my agency of me walking, and they didn’t tell me what it was for. And then they finally told me [they] were submitting it to Rick Owens, that ‘You’re requested for the show, we’ll see what happens.’ And then obviously, after that, I was having all this anxiety, but I was really excited, because I knew the show was coming up in two days, so I was freaking out a little bit.
How did you deal with the anxiety that came with it?
I didn’t. I didn’t get a whole lot done that day, and I didn’t sleep much, and then I got the call around like 7 a.m. the next morning from my agent, and he was like, ‘Pack your bags, you’re going to Paris. So that was really cool, but also really stressful, because I didn’t find out I was leaving until the morning of, and then the show was the next day. It was a lot at once. So it was a very overwhelming worldwide kind of experience. I was just kind of thrown into everything, but it was so positive.
What was the best part about walking the show?
The best part of walking for Rick Owens was the feeling afterward. It was a huge turning point for me in gaining some confidence and leaving behind some past demons that have been holding me back.
What was the scariest part?
The scariest part was meeting Rick during my fitting. He’s one of my favorite designers, so having to stay professional and play it cool was tough. He’s one of my favorites, so it was just surreal.
How did it feel to wear those clothes? Was it any different from wearing regular, non-designer clothes?
They are definitely different from regular clothes. Like I said, walking the show was an emotional experience for me, so they absolutely felt different than my typical wardrobe. Also, the shoes were just awesome.
When did you first know that you wanted to work in fashion?
I didn’t know until I was in Hong Kong, and I only did it so I could stay out there longer, so it was kind of a very abrupt decision. I didn’t really know what I was doing, and then I figured out I was halfway decent at it. I was previously fibers, so moving to fashion gave me a little more direction.
What is your personal design aesthetic?
I like to think it’s a lot more conceptual than it is, but it’s pretty minimal. All of my work is almost always emotion based.
Where do you find your inspirations?
It’s normally negative experiences and trying to work those out. I guess a good way to put it is, if I make a painting and if I make a dress, to me they’re the same. It just happens that the dress is something that’s wearable. I still very much like to consider my work art, and not so much design.
Where do you envision yourself in the next step of your career?
I’ll probably start off in New York. I would love to go back to Paris, but I think I need to learn French first. But I could definitely see myself overseas, and I hope that I get those opportunities to go back again. But New York to start, just because I feel like it makes sense to establish yourself in your own country first. I don’t have any plans, really, but it’s been working out pretty well for me to not have a plan.
