Beverly Sung: Fashion showcase
Beverly Sung is a fourth year fashion design major from Taiwan. Photo by Crosby Ignasher
Written by Charlytte Morrone
Talk about your process from inception to completion.
I started with this idea of a piano. My professor thought it was too boring so I needed a connection to make it more specific. I ended up writing a story about my dad, connecting it with the piano. This is a personal story that explains my collection.
What was your experience like?
Hell! No, but literally, tears have been shed. I am only taking one class and this is the most stressed quarter I’ve had while at SCAD. We don’t get as much help from professors as I wish.
What inspired you?
I was inspired by the interior and exterior of the grand piano, including the piano keys, which then became inspiration for pleats in my skirt. Yellow is my dad’s favorite color and blue is mine and they both ended up in my collection.
Describe your aesthetic. What are you trying to accomplish?
My aesthetic is not feminine. Words like “androgynous,” “not fitted” and “oversize” would fit my collection. I was originally going to do men’s wear, but I wasn’t trained so my women’s wear collection actually looks like men’s wear.
Are you nervous about the show? How do you feel? What are you thinking?
I am nervous! I am nervous that the garments aren’t placed right. Also about walking out in the end—I hope they don’t expect us to walk as long as the models.
How has this prepared you for the future?
I went to art school because I thought I wouldn’t have to write essays, but little did I know! My sewing skills have improved so much. My fashion aesthetic and the way I dress has improved and changed a lot.
Any professional experience?
I have had one fashion design internship and it was with a startup company named Nami. For two months I designed, made samples, delivered materials to photo shoots and counted packages; I did a lot.
When did you decide to pursue a career in fashion?
I haven’t gotten to the point where all I want to do is be a fashion designer. It is so much harder to look for a fashion design job. Right now I am doing a PR internship. I believe building connections before jumping into being a fashion designer is more important.
What are some of most pressing issues facing today’s fashion designers, models and accessory designers?
OPT Visa, which is a Visa international students have to get that requires them to find a paid job within three months of graduating. That is incredibly hard to do. In today’s society, jobs are looking for students who have had paid internships and the experience I have had has been unpaid. The world does not make looking for fashion jobs as an undergraduate international student very easy.
Advice for future designers?
Put more effort and pressure on yourself and on the design process. It will pay off because you will make something that you are happy about. Listen to yourself more than others.
Regrets?
I wish I had a minor in Fashion Marketing while at SCAD; I’m just not a businessperson. I also wish I had done internships during the summer instead of relaxing and playing.
