by Lisa McFadden, Milliner

There have been some big introductions that opened my eyes to the world of fashion. My first, my mom, THE INFLUENCER, but here are a few others:

My cousin Karen, an excellent seamstress, walked me through my first design experience by advising on and sewing one of my sketches. That same year, Karen encouraged me to go to New York City.

She introduced me to Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), by giving me a gigantic, glossy catalogue of all the courses and images of campus life.At 15, I knew that’s where I needed to be. But I had decided to become a fashion designer much, much earlier — from the time I could hold a pencil. I would sit for hours drawing whatever was around me.

I later graduated to fashion illustration, adopting beautifully dressed models inside the pages of Ebony and Essence magazines as my muses. These publications represented the best of Black culture with images of beautiful Black stars gracing the pages.

Standouts for me were The Pointer Sisters’ and their fabulous vintage style and Diana Ross, gloriously outfitted in her starring role in the film, Mahogany among others. These fashion images actually changed something within me. I grew to love vintage dressing and the beautiful handwork involved in making clothing and accessories.

The first time I watched Mahogany, Diana Ross’ character leaves design class and continues sketching on the train. Her ‘I-am-an-original!’ and ‘You-won’t-stop-me!’ attitude was so powerful. That moment is when I decided to become a fashion designer. I saved every issue of Essence magazine which became a tactile reference library for me.

Little did I know that years later I would meet some of the people gracing its pages and how gracious they would be to me as I began my creative journey in NYC.
Two people who had the most impact on my dream are cultural architect April Walker, the hip-hop fashion trailblazer, and playwright/ educator Myla Churchill.

I met April around 2003-04 in Brooklyn, where we both lived at the time; she, in Fort Greene and me, in Bed-Stuy.
I’d taken a break from corporate fashion life to pursue millinery. At the time, April was leading a small group of fashion startups into the world of entrepreneurship, brand building and community cultivation. I’ve watched her journey over the years, and she continues to inspire me.

Myla, artist, writer, film connoisseur, fierce card player and one of my biggest cheerleaders, left all who knew her a rich legacy in 2014. We lived in the same brownstone. What she said late one evening as we sat on the stoop stays with me today: “You are very lucky to have the freedom to do whatever you want to do. This is your gift, so go for it.”

I was lucky to have them and all the other sisters who have supported me through the years.
Advice: “Consider a path that embraces what comes to you naturally. There is an opportunity there and your passion for it will keep you on the path.”