Lily Bedell; Fashion Student on a Mission
Lily Bedell, a senior at University of Wisconsin – Madison was all smiles at the Michigan Fashion Media Summit held in Ann Arbor a few weeks back. Once a design intern for Sam Edelman in New York and recently known as one of the “Faces of Long Island”, Bedell is now on a mission that entails textiles and fashion design along with an impressive list of entrepreneurial dreams.
Bedell will graduate from the University of Wisconsin next month with the dream of becoming a fashion designer of her own successful collection. I was able to catch up with her at the Michigan Fashion Media Summit located at the Steven M. Ross School of Business on March 25th and here’s what she had to say about her future plans…
Interview: Lily Bedell; Fashion Student on a Mission @lilybedell_
DFN: Lily, why do you love fashion?
Bedell: It’s my favorite form of expression and it’s what I want to do for a living.
DFN: Congratulations on these beautiful designs, (displayed at MFMS). Did you always want to be a fashion designer?
Bedell: Thank you. Yes. My mom always told me I would never let her dress me. When I was four years old, I started dressing myself. That’s when I started falling in love with fashion and it’s now what I want to do professionally.
DFN: What is it about fashion you find enjoyment in?
Bedell: I like all the different ways you can express yourself. It’s always evolving. As people, we are always evolving and that is the same with fashion. As we evolve, fashion evolves too.
DFN: What are your favorite fabrics to work with? And, which are your least favorite?
Bedell – I love working with all different types of fabrics. Physically for sewing, it can be hard to create a fitted silk dress because just the nature of it is to be drapy. But I do love structure. I love working with vinyl, although it can be hard. I do love working with leather and different fabric manipulations. I will be working with a lot of tulle for this upcoming collection for my senior thesis. I like to have a wide variety of fabrics.
DFN: What is your plan after graduation?
Bedell: Right now, I’m currently in the process of applying to graduate schools in both Milan and Paris. One for accessory design and one for contemporary fashion design. My dream would be to go to one of those schools.
DFN: Great goals and definitely achievable. Good luck to you!
Bedell: Thank you. Those are both one-year programs so definitely, I plan to return back to New York and start my own business after getting more experience in the industry and more schooling.
DFN: Tell me about this beautiful jumpsuit here (pointing to the cream jumpsuit on the clothing rack).
Bedell: The jumpsuit is a part of my senior thesis collection which is the first garment of my four-piece collection. The collection is all about personal growth and the journey. It’s called Emergence; the journey you go through to become your best self.
DFN: Perfect. This jumpsuit here is beautiful. Where do you see yourself and your brand in five years?
Bedell: Thank you. I will be starting my own business in five years. With the timeline of going to school, getting some experience and industry relations, and factory connections, it will take a little bit of time to build. Once I have all of that and the network to build my own brand, hopefully, in five years, I will be launching it.
DFN: If you could dress any celebrity in the world who would you dress, and why?
Bedell: Zendaya! She is an icon. She is so talented in so many different realms. She’s an actress, a singer, she’s everything. I look up to her immensely and it would be such a dream to dress her.
DFN: Thank you, Lia. Good luck to you!
Bedell: Thank you. Thank you so much!
Lily Bedell and her designs can be found on Instagram @lilybedell_.