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What is one im port ant lesson or piece of advice t hat aspiring<br />
fashion designers should learn before t hey break int o t he<br />
indust ry?<br />
Pace yourself, learn when to be a cup and at what point you are<br />
called to be a vessel. Find an accountability partner, someone<br />
who will remind you of why you started. Learn when to say no<br />
once you develop brand equity (no need to be everywhere, in<br />
everything. <strong>The</strong>re is a blessing in selectivity!) Last but not least,<br />
be a vessel. Pour what you learned into another emerging<br />
designer's cup.<br />
Who are som e designers you w ould love t o w ork w it h?<br />
Donna Karan, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and too bad<br />
Alexander McQueen is gone, his designs cater to my Grace Jones<br />
side.<br />
Can you describe t o our readers your experience w orking<br />
w it h Goodw ill Rock t he Runw ay?<br />
Working with Goodwill Rock the Runway was a great way for me<br />
to break into and connect with the industry here in the South as<br />
well as other emerging designers in my area. New York can be<br />
over saturated with professionals and beginners alike in this<br />
industry. Moving to NC gave me a chance to spread outside of<br />
my comfort zone and help contribute to the budding fashion<br />
industry right here in the South. Being named <strong>Designer</strong> of the<br />
year for Goodwill's Rock the Runway 2015 was such an<br />
achievement and a wonderful experience.<br />
What are your fut ure plans for your fashion career?<br />
I'm truly excited about being able to market my brand and line<br />
this Fall 2018. I'm looking forward to elevating my platform as an<br />
African American designer and becoming a brand to reckon with<br />
in the Industry. A posh boutique presence is definitely in my<br />
future, as well as, a studio space dedicated to pouring back into<br />
future designers. As a designer and as an apparel teacher at a<br />
visual and performing arts school, it is equally important for me<br />
to give back as it is for me to pursue higher levels of success and<br />
achievements of my own.<br />
Where can our readers reach you and see your designs?<br />
Readers, potential clients, and collaborators can reach me via my<br />
website UVANADORAN,COM or by way of Instagram Uvana<br />
Doran.<br />
We?d like to thank Uvana Doran for the opportunity to learn more<br />
about her and we wish her all the best in her flourishing career!
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