Kendy Manzano is a spring 2020 graduate of Brenau’s Fashion Design department. For her senior capstone project, Kendy designed a bridal collection oriented toward a bride who craves a bold and elegant look on her wedding day. She chose two looks from her collection to construct down to the smallest details. In the student perspective below, Kendy discusses the challenges of creating her final collection during a global pandemic.
Ahhh, yes … 2020. As a senior in college, life already feels hard, and then a pandemic is thrown in the mix and everything changes. Going from on-ground classes to fully online in just a few days changes your sense of “normal.” With all the adjustments being made, senior year was not at all what I expected. Our senior collection project was moved online, and all of my sewing was completed at home.
As my collection was being made at home and sewing was in full production, balancing classes became a little harder. However, all of the professors knew the hard times we were dealing with and were always there to help. When all was said and done, our senior presentations were conducted via Zoom for the completion of our senior review. For my review, I presented a wedding collection with two fully sewn wedding gowns. Passing my senior review, along with the rest of my classes, meant that I was officially a Brenau University graduate!
My degree came in via the post office this summer, and I was able to get a job after numerous applications. Finding a job during the middle of a pandemic wasn’t easy, but I finally landed a position in my field that made me happy. I am now a bridal stylist and help women find the wedding gowns of their dreams every day.
