When Roadblocks Become Runways: Finding Strength in Fashion Week Rejection

Mandy

It's Saturday morning in LA, just after 9 AM, and I'm sitting cross-legged on my apartment floor surrounded by sketches, fabric scraps, and an empty coffee mug that's begging for a refill. The October sunshine is streaming through my windows, creating spotlight patches on my work – ironically highlighting the collection that just got rejected from the Student Showcase at LA Fashion Week.

Yeah, that happened yesterday. The email arrived with the typical "unfortunately" opening paragraph that makes your stomach drop before you even finish reading. I'd be lying if I said I didn't ugly-cry into my pillow for a solid hour last night. After all the vulnerability I've been embracing lately – the unfiltered posts, the transparent design elements, the raw honesty – rejection feels especially personal.

But something weird happened this morning. I woke up, dragged myself to my workspace, and started looking at my collection with fresh eyes. Not through the lens of "what would impress the selection committee" but through the question: "what am I actually trying to say?"

The transparent layers that represent vulnerability? They're beautiful, but they were still playing it safe in some ways. The hand-stitched connections between pieces? Conceptually strong but technically inconsistent. The raw edges I was so proud of exposing? Some were intentional, others were just... unfinished.

This rejection isn't a dead end – it's a redirect.

Professor Chen always talks about obstacles as growth accelerators, but I've always low-key thought that was some motivational poster BS. Now I'm not so sure. There's clarity in disappointment that's hard to find in success. When things work out, we rarely question why or how. When they don't, we're forced to dig deeper.

I just texted Tara: "Rejection sucks but maybe it's the best thing that could have happened to this collection." Her response: "That's the most fashion designer thing you've ever said 😂"

She's not wrong. This industry is built on rejection, reinvention, and resilience. The designers I admire most have all faced devastating setbacks and emerged stronger. Maybe this is just my first real taste of the cycle.

So today, I'm rebuilding. Taking what works, scrapping what doesn't, and pushing further into the authentic voice I've been discovering. The showcase deadline forced me to rush certain elements – now I have time to really develop them with intention.

Sometimes the obstacles aren't just part of the journey – they're essential redirections that push us toward our truest work. At least that's what I'm telling myself as I head out for that coffee refill and a full day of redesigning.

The runway I imagined might be closed, but maybe that just means I need to build my own.

Growth indicators

  • obstacle_development