There's no Goodbye without a Hello.

Hi Friends,

This brings me to my final blog, as my final assignment, for my final class, on my final day. We all came to The Academy of Design in hopes of becoming the next big thing and ensuring we build upon the talents and creativity we were all destined to share with the world. We started off as strangers and built a foundation of friendships we will never forget (at least I won’t). Having gone through the grueling ride of completing an 18 month Fashion Marketing & Merchandising program, we can all successfully say we've made it. The finish line is so close and it's beginning to settle in; no more elevator rides up to the second floor, no more cigarette breaks on our very own “MET steps” and certainly no more sleepless nights finishing assignments and projects (for school anyways).

Every individual life is mimicked as a book filled with chapters, and this chapter will soon be coming to an end. As we flip the page to begin the next chapter, we have to keep in mind, as is in the fashion world, in the real world, "there is no destination without a beginning, there is no good-bye without a hello; no dream without closing your eyes; no “happily ever after” without “Once upon a time”; and there is certainly no finish without the most important part of the journey, the start." Designers throughout history have all began where we have, and have all had to end a chapter in order to go through the rest. Life goes on, but our footprints will never be forgotten. For example, Yves Saint Laurent, after his passing, Hedi Slimane took over the house to keep Saint Laurent’s visionary love for fashion going. Alexander McQueen unfortunately left his dream to the incredible Sarah Burton and Donatella Versace took over for her late brother Gianni Versace. Just as they have all passed and gone on to a different world, we are in the process of doing so as well. (Sorry, my metaphors can be a little dramatic at times, but effective nonetheless.) Without their beginning, there wouldn't be the continuation of such highly regarded collections. Think of us as the designers and their legacy as our journey.

We were all introduced into each other's lives for a reason and although we endured the good, the bad, and the ugly together, it's shaped us into the extraordinary people we have become. One thing we've learned is the importance of relationships and that in the face of an ending, we don’t ever forget each other. Wherever we go, whoever we become, one thing we’ll always have in common, is how we began our careers into the highly-competitive and vicious fashion world together. 

What I’m trying to get at, is this may be a farewell, but this is no goodbye. I wish you, from the bottom of my heart, all the happiness, success and love you all deserve.

Until next time,

Billy.