What are jobs in the fashion world really like? Two secondary students will be on a journey to get answers and learn from professionals when they begin their internships with Honolulu Magazine’s “Reach the Runway” program*. And just like the popular television show “Project Runway” the pressure will be real, the stakes high, and come Honolulu’s Fashion Week only a few will be “in” receiving tickets to attend, reserved seats, and some VIP treatment.
Natalia Anseeuw (‘21) and Mia Chapman (‘20) both submitted applications to the program and were among the students selected for the 6-week internships. To apply, each girl picked a sector of the fashion industry that interested her and then submitted a 300-word essay answering the prompt “What Hawaii Fashion means to you” and samples of her work.
Natalia Anseeuw (‘21) submitted two sketches with her application. The seven categories in the program include: journalism, photography, fashion design, magazine design, hair & makeup, styling, and modeling. During the first weekend session Anseeuw and Chapman will be paired with working professionals matched to their interests. Anseeuw applied in the Fashion Design category. She says in her essay, “I wrote about how I thought Hawaii fashion style is unique compared to the other places I’ve lived like Rhode Island and Maine.” Admitting that she is better at drawing than sewing, Anseeuw hopes to come away from the program with a broader knowledge than she has now. “You can only learn so much from watching television
shows,” she said.
Mia Chapman (‘20) applied for the photography division with three photos and her essay.
Chapman, who is already considering a career in photography, applied for that category in the competition. “Although my style is mostly nature, this sounded like a fun way to learn more about photography and improve my skills,” she said. “We’ll all have our work displayed, but only 1 of the 2-3 people chosen in each category will attend Fashion Week and be eligible for further recognition.”
Both girls’ mothers were notified by email that their daughters had been chosen and then they shared the news with their girls. What was it like to find out? Chapman says, “I didn’t think I’d been picked. My mom was emailed on a Friday but didn’t have a chance to check until the weekend. When she told me I was, I ‘freaked out’ so much that my dad came into the room to see what was going on!” After that she wasted no time in texting the news to her friends. Anseeuw says she was so happy and excited from the news that, “I was giddy and screaming so loudly our neighbors were looking to see what was happening!”
Stay tuned for more news from IPA’s Fashion Interns. Who will be “in” come Honolulu Fashion Week?
* from the Honolulu Magazine website: Reach the Runway is the official nonprofit of HONOLULU Fashion Week, an annual HONOLULU Magazine event. It is a program of the aio Foundation and presented in partnership with Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui’s REACH Out Hawai‘i Initiative. Designed to inspire and support Hawai i’s youth, the program will create mentorship opportunities for O’ahu middle school students who are interested in journalism, photography, fashion design, magazine design, hair and makeup, styling or modeling. In addition to expanding their technical skills in specific fields, the program will develop students’ confidence, determination and passion for their future endeavors. Read more here.
