Tay Johnson Omaha Fashion Week

During the highly anticipated Omaha Fashion Week, there will be a special night entitled “OFW Spring 2019: High School Student Night” on Feb. 26. Selected and talented high school students throughout the metro will be able to showcase their designs down at the Omaha Fashion Design Center located at 1502 Cuming Street. Senior Tay Johnson was among the top high school designers selected to showcase a variety of their own original designs.  

Tay gave an insight on her designs that will be showcased in the fashion show and disclosed, “I will be presenting three different designs in Omaha Fashion Week. I took some inspiration from Spring and Summer 2019 runways. I have a lot of color blocking within my designs, and the use of scrap fabrics and the use of the industrial trend using parachute buckles. I also have an overall skirt two-piece. There are color blocked pants and a scrap fabric tank set. There is also a two-piece design using my crayon skirt that I created last year during the wearable art part of our class in design workshop from fabric created by our new fabric printer that FCS purchased last year.” Although she has been making designs for nearly four years now, she confesses her source of inspiration for her own personal style and fashion choices. “I do not really get inspiration from anyone. I just kind of think of things and I go and buy them. Or sometimes I just throw things on and see how they look when it comes to finding my own style preference. But I really liked the oversized t-shirt trend that was in style last Summer. I also really like to admire some outfits that Rihanna wears.” 

Tay has been involved within the realm of fashion design since her freshman year and adds, “I have taken clothing textiles classes since my freshman year. I stuck with the class because I really enjoy making new designs, but I also enjoy my teacher’s willingness to help us succeed within the fashion industry.” From a young age, she has enjoyed fashion and its complexities. “I have been interested in fashion ever since I was in the second grade. There has always just been something about clothes that have interested me, and I have always been super creative when it came to designing things and with arts and crafts. Also, my mom used to enjoy dressing me up when I was younger.” Although designer Tay does not potentially see herself working professionally within the fashion industry, she relates, “I could not really see myself in that industry unless it would be for advertising for fashion and beauty or even marketing management for fashion and beauty. I could definitely see it as something I will do for a hobby.”