Brittany Nicole Short is another one of the talented local designers you can see on the runway TONIGHT for NWAFW Designer NIght. Brittany has already had a pretty impressive start, with a graduate degree from SCAD and an internship with Betsy Johnson under her belt, but something tells me she is just getting started. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us!
Kaitlyn Lee: When did you begin designing?
Brittany Short: I have been designing since I was big enough to draw a recognizable croquis (body form for clothing). I always did it for fun and just played around with it whenever I was little. I ALWAYS wanted to sew, but I think my mother and my grandmother were too scared that I would sew my fingers to the fabric. I actually didn't give it much thought as a career until I failed anatomy as a nursing major and the counselor told me that was a sign I should probably not be a nurse. I got involved in some of the fashion courses at the University of Arkansas apparel studies program, and I really felt like that is where I should be. We didn't hardly do any designing, and after doing my internship with Betsey Johnson in 2011, I applied and got accepted into the graduate fashion design program at Savannah College of Art & Design.
Kaitlyn Lee: When did you begin designing?
KL:Where do you draw inspiration for your designs?
BS: I like to find inspiration in the most unusual places. I don't really like to pull inspiration from your typical landscapes and architecture. For one of my collections, I went as far as finding inspiration in mental illness and psychological disorders. It makes the collection much more unique in my opinion, and there is always a really interesting story behind each piece of clothing I have designed.
KL: What can we expect to see from you on the NWA Fashion Week runway?
BS: Well I have so much that no one around NWA has seen before, and I really wanted to showcase some of my favorite pieces that I have designed in the past and incorporate what I have been working on here lately. So, I decided to do what I call a "collection of mini collections." Basically, I have taken 3 pieces from one collection, 4 pieces from another, all the pieces I have been working on in the past couple of weeks, and so on. It really just is a modge podge of design and crazy shifts that represent my design process. In the end, there will be a couple of collections within one to show the audience a good sample of what I am able to do.
We cannot wait for the show! Tickets to see Brittany and an impressive list of other local design talent this tonight at 21C Hotel can still be purchased at the NWAFW website!
