Interview With a Fellow Design Student #4 Featuring Hale Henderson

Let's see, I think the first time I actually met Hale was in our Intro to the Apparel Industry class when we sat next to each other. I'm not quite sure how/when we became friends but we did. We had other classes together, such as Intro to CSR and sewing and then in the spring we had art, sewing, and nutrition. Thankfully Hale loves coffee (more than me) and we'd always meet up before/in between/after classes for coffee, to talk about classes, etc. She has a unique sense of style that is great. Lots of patterns and fabrics and variety. She's a great baker, she made me a homemade apple pie (with crisscross dough on top) for my birthday and I ate most of it by myself it was so good. She's also really funny and a good study buddy. This coming fall we will be attending ECON together and hopefully pass the class with As! We will also be taking drawing (AD114) and fashion design together. I'm not quite sure exactly what classes because Hale takes Japanese classes and she had to work her schedule around those as well as the required design classes. Hopefully we'll have more than just ECON and fashion design. 

An example of Hale's style.

Here is her interview:

What are you studying/majoring in? And why?

I'm majoring in Apparel Design and Technology and minoring in Japanese. My goal is to design clothes in Tokyo, so I think it's important for me to study Japanese as well as Fashion Design.

Why did you choose Purdue? And what made you want to decide on Apparel Design?

I have always loved fashion and I knew that I wanted to be a designer. I had heard good things about Purdue's fashion program and I received scholarships that covered my tuition. So, Purdue seemed to be my best option.

Hale's Model.

Please describe what you made for the spring fashion show and how you felt seeing all your hard work going down the runway.

I made a very androgynous outfit that consisted of a slate grey asymmetrical vest and a charcoal grey asymmetrical kilt. I had my roommate, who is a boy, model it and he got a lot of interesting looks while he was walking down the runway. I felt really accomplished and proud when I saw my outfit on the runway. It was proof that my hard work had paid off.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?

Japanese was probably my favorite class this past year because I love learning languages and it was always a very upbeat and fun class. The hardest class I took was probably intro to design (AD105) because I absolutely hate designing things on the computer.

What would you say is your dream job?

My dream job is to design stage clothes for Japanese rock bands. They always have such interesting outfits and I think I would have a lot of creative freedom. Plus, guys in J-rock bands are just too cute. (´ε｀ )♡

Who are your favorite designers?

My current favorite designers are Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto, Gareth Pugh, and Rei Kawakubo. There are plenty of others that I admire as well, though.

Do you have a favorite quote?

“For something to be beautiful, it doesn't have to be pretty.” - Rei Kawakubo

Hale and her must-have accessory, her cat.

How would you describe your personal style?

My style is a bit of a mixture of styles. It's mostly influenced by various Japanese styles as well as 80s punk and 90s grunge. I also like sweaters. A lot.

What are your favorite stores?

I can find neat stuff at H&M and Forever 21, but I really like shopping for secondhand stuff online and in thrift stores.

What’s your must-have accessory?

My cat. Everyone looks cuter when they're holding a cat, y'know? (I guess this means a lint roller is also a must-have.)

Hale when she was blonde. One view of her style.

What is your go-to outfit?

Black dress with patterned tights and boots or heels. It's a simple outfit that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Having a cat around can improve this outfit, too. Just be mindful of cat hairs on black clothes.

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?

I'm working my bum off at a Korean restaurant. But, I also have plenty of time for relaxing with friends.