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black clothes on a hanger
black clothes on a hanger
Artem Beliaikin
Style > Fashion

A Doomed or Bloomed Generation: The Rising Ambition of Fashion Creators

Sophia Caputo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Age comes with the price of limitation. If you’re too young society restricts you from doing certain things, if you’re too old society restricts you from doing certain things.

It’s a repetitive cycle that instills age to determine what an individual is capable of and how they may carry out those abilities.

However, Generation Z has ripped the idea of limitation off the hangers, draping a new phenomenon upon the shelves: inspiration. 

There is a level of ingenuity bursting through the souls of Gen Z. Leading the procession of new risks, ideas and a statute of how inspiration should be allowed to flow. 

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to walk in Atlantic City Fashion Week for eight different designers. Displaying their designs on the runway was an incredible experience, building upon my fashion proficiency. 

As I was preparing for my fittings, I was shocked to find out that one of my designers was 10 and the other 14. 

It was exhilarating to watch the young designers, in their element, bringing awe-inspiring visions to life. Their passion and talent was clear, as they conducted the unveiling of their lines with strategic intelligence. 

I reached out to the designers via social media. Asking both of them what feeds their inspiration to pursue designing at such a young age. Their charismatic answers cultivate the inspiration that Gen Z is fiercely taking hold of. 

Gabby Loftin, 10, serves as the CEO of Gabby’s World Designs, and shared that “designing allows me to be creatively me,” a reference to her brand’s tagline “Creatively Me.” 

She shared that from the time she was in preschool her style inspired other students, “even the third graders.” That aided in her motivation to continue to chase her dreams. 

Designing is her approach to “inspire others to be creatively themselves.” It’s evident that Loftin’s clothes are doing far more than simply being worn. She’s cascading vitality that is building a positive foundation of staying true to oneself. 

Eris Aubrie Busey, 14, is the CEO of SIRE SEVEN-ONE-ONE. She explained how she began modeling doing print and runway work.

Consistently being surrounded by designers, her curiosity piqued as she “began to wonder what it was like to be a designer and to have your own brand.” 

Busey understands what motivates her. The dedication to her craft, and her collections are another example, flourishing into an encouraging asset to the youth of the world. 

Both Loftin and Busey appreciate the stakes of owning a brand, and the consistent work it takes in order to maintain it. 

But it seems to be more play than work for each of them. They thoroughly exhibit what it means to love what you do.

They each found their niche, and didn’t allow the limitations of the world to hinder the process of fulfilling their aspirations. Rather they grasped what ignited their hearts, and dove into the journey fearlessly. 

Loftin and Busey recognized that what inspires them didn’t have to be a dream they rested on until they grew up.

They unstitched the crafting of society’s limitations and replaced them with their own lines of inspiration. 

Sophia is a first-year student at Penn State. She is studying digital and print journalism, with an intended minor in Italian. For Sophia, writing has always been her outlet. She has found expressing her voice, at its peak, when flowing from the ink of a pen or through the clicks of a keyboard. Beyond writing, Sophia has a passion for the world of fashion. To her, it’s the unique process of bringing art to life, through a display of walking canvases. Fashion has played a major influence into the way she articulates her words; as it has taught her to find appreciation in honing your craft. On top of being a writer for Her Campus, Sophia is a member of PSU’s Ed2010, the Fashion Society at PSU and Episcopal at Penn State. She takes delight in keeping herself motivated, through communities tailored toward her personal and career goals. Outside of the academic scene, Sophia is a model; for the purpose of having personal knowledge and experience in all areas of the fashion industry to establish credibility. She also enjoys practicing pilates, cooking and spending time with friends. She focuses on the simple things in life that bring her happiness, and strives to live in a constant state of gratitude.