A Feather For A Dream?: The Midterm Essay:

FASHION

     I stepped out on the runway, slightly dazzled by the spotlight. All along the side of the runway, people were clapping and smiling and throwing flowers in my direction. I was close to tears, disbelieving. After all my years of hard work, I have finally made my dreams come true.

    It all started when I was around 5 years of age. My grandfather was a tailor. I would be the busybody in his shop and help him when he was working. The amount of curiosity and fascination I had for that feet powered sewing machine! I would sit by his side, peering with awe and wonder as my grandfather created beautiful pieces of clothing for men right before my very eyes. When the shop closed, he would teach me how to use the sewing machine, how to draw the design for basic clothing and how to sew with a thread and needle.

    I guess it started to grow onto me. Of course, it helped too, when I received my first electric sewing machine when I was eight years old. I would shut myself in my room and experiment on different kinds of material - laces, velvets, cotton, satin - and make clothes for myself. Mother didn't need to buy me any of those pretty party dresses young girls threw tantrums for. I would see them, draw out the designs out on a piece of paper and sew it myself. Afterwards, I would put it on and twirl around in it for my grandfather to comment. He was always supportive of my interest in sewing and he would constantly supply me with meters and meters of cloth for me to make all my own clothes.

    As I grew older, I grew out of all the pink satin ribbons and frilly dresses. I started to collect magazines from all around. I would sometimes starve myself at school just so I could save up my money to buy the next issue of Vogue or Neon. Mother was terribly upset when she found out that I used up all my money on "worthless" magazines, because we were not very wealthy but my passion for fashion and designing was burning fiercely. Instead of buying the magazines, I would rummage through the recycled papers at the recycling center just to get my hands on these discarded magazines. I would then tear out the pages with those pin-thin models wearing clothes that inspire me and I would fill my walls with these pages.

    At school, I excelled in Art and I was taken by my Art teacher as her special 'pet'. My friends at school would tease me but I appreciated Miss Anne's guidance. She would teach me all I had to know about Art and Fashion and the beautiful connection between. I would spend countless hours in the Art room, flipping through historical fashion books and having discussions about the latest fashions. She became more than a teacher to me, she became my best friend.

    My most exciting and fascinating memory with Miss Anne was when we sneaked in together to a fashion show at the National Fashion Expo in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. My favourite designer, Marc Jacobs, was holding a fashion show there and I desperately wanted to go. Miss Anne reassured me that I would get to watch it and we set off to the bustling venue. We dressed up as extravagant ladies and managed to bypass all the security guards. Everything was extremely surreal.

    As we stepped inside the hall, I was utterly gobsmacked. The show had just started and the music was pumping everywhere. The models dressed in the most beautiful and chique designs were sashaying down the runway, bursting with elegance and poise. Light bulbs flashed everywhere as photographers tried to capture a perfect shot of those intricate designs. But the focus was not entirely on the runway itself. Below the runway, the audience were a feast on the eyes too. All of them were dressed magnificently in the latest fashions and some designers themselves were lounging on the seats casually. I was absolutely awestruck.

    After this absolutely thrilling and eye-opening experience, I told myself that I must achieve and be the best designer anyone has ever seen. As the great American writer James Huneker said: 'All men of action are dreamers.', I set my goal and worked hard to achieve it. Along the way there were many hardships but with the help of some beautiful and gold hearted people, my problems were easily conquered. Without the guidance and support of some people like grandfather, Miss Anne and even my mother, I would have not had the strength to pull through and grabbed at my dreams.

    And now, as I take another bow at my first ever fashion show, after receiving the 'Designer of the Year' award, I know that fashion is my sanctuary and it will never die. Which is why our dreams and passions should never die too. Let your wildest dreams and passions burn as bright as the sun, work very hard for it, and one day you will reap what you sow. I took my final bow with tears in my eyes and new ideas for my next clothing line, forming in my head....

Hi guys! So I'm still on Phantom Mode, so yeah. I'm sure I wont get a chance to post anymore seeing as my Trials are coming up.

I wanted to share my essay with you guys mainly because I thought... Nah, who am I joking. I WANTED TO SHOW OFF MY ESSAY HERE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A REALLY NICE ESSAY OKAY.

I actually got 47/50 for my essay. I was really happy but I guess teacher didn't give me full marks for some reason. So I went and asked teacher. Here's how the conversation went.

Teacher: Yes Noel, how can I help you?

Me: Hi teacher, I wanted to ask you for any comments.

Teacher: Actually there is no further comments, Noel. Your essay was basically perfect.

Me: *gushes slightly* Oh no teacher. I was just asking you for your opinions.

Teacher: *flips paper to the back* I wanted to give you 49/50 because you deserved it. But I had to put 47/50 because there's always 'room for improvement'.

Me: Err.

Yeah well. I don't know what I'm trying to portray either.

So did you like my essay? *Feels shy and insecure all of a sudden* I actually wanted to talk about source of inspiration.

We got to choose form 5 questions. One of them, the most popular one was complete-the-essay: "I couldn't believe what I saw......" Most of my friends chose that. Then there were the factual essay, which Wai Jin chose (he got the same marks as me in the end but he had so much grammar mistakes sorry and his essay was super boring sorry). I was actually already planning to write the one-word-essay and imagine the amount of joy when I found out it was: Fashion.

I guess I got inspiration from my grandfather. He really is a tailor. He's 80 something and going strong, still making clothes for gentlemen. Though my deepest regret is probably that I never did learn sewing form him. I was also inspired by all those fashion posts I see on tumblr. Also form America's Next Top Model (I'm not joking). Also, I'm inspired by some of my favourite writers - Cathy Cassidy and Jacqueline Wilson - who always include friendly and nice art teachers in their novels.

Did I just do an 'Acknowledgements'? I think I just did. Fine, I'll do a dedication too.

This essay is for my Grandfather. He's an amazing man.

I have to make something clear. I don't know Art. Well, I can't draw, and I don't know how to design either. Whatever I wrote above was purely fiction, except for my grandfather. Though I didn't twirl around in a dress for him either :p sorry.

And I think my ending was a bit too forced. And slightly sloppy. Sorry. This was done in an 1 hour 45 minute time frame. Well, minus out the Section A. Less than that. So I can't really be blamed, right?

And I would really like to hear honest opinions about this. So please, if you're reading this just leave a comment, alright?

I'm working on my book-review thing. I really want to make it happen. I've been practicing hahaha. But of course, everything is strictly after SPM. However, I seriously need to makeover my blog (again). So let's keep our fingers crossed, eh?

Okay. The night is late.