Students from Cedar Ridge and Stony Point high schools were named winners of the Fashion Collective Initiative, a competition that focused on selecting the best student fashions designs and business plans. The competition was made possible through a partnership between Round Rock ISD and Shop LC, an Austin-based retailer focused on fine jewelry, beauty, fashion, home decor and lifestyle products.
The winners are:
- Karen Alvarado – 1st place, Cedar Ridge High School,
- Jada Servin – 2nd place, Stony Point High School, and
- Margell Diaz Lopez – 3rd place , Cedar Ridge High School.
Honorable Mentions are:
- Riya Doraiswamy – Round Rock High School,
- Emma Stelly – Round Rock High School,
- Syrena Mia – Stony Point High School and,
- Maggie Fan – Westwood High School.
Winners received cash prizes, and the top designs from winners and honorable mentions are under consideration for production and airing on the national TV footprint. Students will receive a percentage of sales for produced designs.
The student’s journey to compete started earlier this school year when the program began in September 2021. To prepare, students worked directly with Shop LC throughout the year to learn about the Austin-based network’s customer base and submit business plans and designs for consideration. Each student presented their plan to Shop LC and guest judges from the Austin fashion community, including Dr. Gwendolyn Hustvedt and Kasia Romo, Professors at Texas State University, and Matt Swinney, local fashion consultant and CEO. Students directly pitched their original designs to the panel.
“Our hope is that other industries consider a similar track with their local high schools,” says Michelle Long, director of CSR, Shop LC. “Students and teachers enjoyed the real-world experience that Shop LC was able to bring to the classroom.”
