Spring Break
An interview with fashion designer, Hopkins student Michael Van Maele
Issue date: 4/30/09
About a month ago, the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma put on the First Annual Fashion Show at Hopkins, where some local designers and boutiques showed and Hopkins students modeled. However, more importantly, Hopkins' own Michael Van Maele showed a collection of women's wear. Here, he answered some questions about his thoughts on the latest spring trends, and what it's like to design a fashion line.
AJB: How long have you been designing for? What originally made you want to design?
MV: I have been designing for three years. My mom used to do craft shows, so there was an ample supply of needles, thread and fabric around the house. The availability of all the necessary materials combined with one too many episodes of Project Runway is what I consider the spark that started my fashion career.
AJB: Where do you see fashion designing playing into your future?
MV: I will be sad to stop designing, but as science takes center stage in my life, it is only natural that activities which also take up a lot of time get put on the back burner. I think that I will always design as a creative outlet. Whether or not there is time to actually execute and present designs depends on how busy things get during the summer! A long-term goal of mine is to get on Project Runway and to show at a major fashion week, but we will have to wait and see what happens.
AJB: Has being at college changed your views on fashion any? What is your major, did you consider going to school for fashion?
MV: Being at college has made me realize the absolute necessity of comfort, something I had previously written off. I just can't be productive studying unless I'm in comfortable, breathable cotton, preferably Calvin Klein. I can't take off my CK shorts this summer. I ended up being a biomedical engineering major at Hopkins, and although I briefly flirted with the idea of going to design school, I would much rather be an engineer by trade than a fashion designer.
AJB: How long have you been designing for? What originally made you want to design?
MV: I have been designing for three years. My mom used to do craft shows, so there was an ample supply of needles, thread and fabric around the house. The availability of all the necessary materials combined with one too many episodes of Project Runway is what I consider the spark that started my fashion career.
AJB: Where do you see fashion designing playing into your future?
MV: I will be sad to stop designing, but as science takes center stage in my life, it is only natural that activities which also take up a lot of time get put on the back burner. I think that I will always design as a creative outlet. Whether or not there is time to actually execute and present designs depends on how busy things get during the summer! A long-term goal of mine is to get on Project Runway and to show at a major fashion week, but we will have to wait and see what happens.
AJB: Has being at college changed your views on fashion any? What is your major, did you consider going to school for fashion?
MV: Being at college has made me realize the absolute necessity of comfort, something I had previously written off. I just can't be productive studying unless I'm in comfortable, breathable cotton, preferably Calvin Klein. I can't take off my CK shorts this summer. I ended up being a biomedical engineering major at Hopkins, and although I briefly flirted with the idea of going to design school, I would much rather be an engineer by trade than a fashion designer.
Be the first to comment on this story