Student
Noah Cyrus Wears Student's Design to CMT Awards
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native and Fashion Design Professional Designation Student Deborah Edwards is the owner and designer of Gorjeti, a custom luxury clothing brand. After earning a BBA in Finance from Howard University and a MBA from Drexel University, she worked as an independent consultant specializing in strategic planning and analysis until she had an epiphany in 2018 while in Los Angeles for business. After visiting the famed Fashion District, Deborah decided to make a major career change and fulfill her childhood wish of becoming a fashion designer. She most recently designed a one-of-a-kind halter top worn by Noah Cyrus on the red carpet at the recent CMT Awards and her creations have been seen in music videos and other performances. We recently chatted with the 2021 graduate to learn about her return to college, what it felt like to see major press coverage of her work, and where she hopes to take her company in the future.
What was your path to FIDM? I took some sewing classes and self-taught myself to make my first collection. To my surprise, my daughters in their early twenties loved my clothes. My oldest was working as an assistant stylist on a music video at the time and showed some of my pieces to the well-known stylist Rasheeda Ameera. Rasheeda loved them and used seven of my pieces in the Migos featuring Drake “Walk It Talk It” music video. More videos and performances followed. I started receiving requests to purchase the clothes that the artists wore. This made me very nervous as I was designing and making the pieces myself. They were “camera ready” so you really couldn’t see some of the flaws. I knew I didn’t have all the skills and knowledge I needed to be a successful designer. I decided to step back and take time to get a formal education in Fashion Design. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made on my new journey. I’m so thankful to Kathi Gilbert and Lisa Aronoff who saw something in me and approved my application.
How did Noah Cyrus come to wear your design? Char Edwards is a stylist/designer who is also my daughter. She connected with Piera, fashion showroom owner of PR Solo, and showed her my pieces. She loved them and placed them in her showroom. Phil Gomez, the stylist for Noah, pulled the piece as part of his vision for her red carpet look.
Tell us about your design and the materials used: It started out with me trying to think of a way to upcycle a damaged silk charmeuse Roberto Cavalli halter that had a rhinestone neckline. I also thought it would be interesting to do it by creating my own fabric. These ideas culminated into a crocheted halter top with a rhinestone neckline that is lined in fabric made from silk. I then looked for unique yarns and stones from around the world and researched to find sophisticated crochet stitch patterns to incorporate in the design. I created the pattern and crocheted the top myself.
What did it feel like to see all the press coverage of your design? There’s a long road to travel from the time someone expresses interest in my design to seeing it worn. Anything can happen in between that time: a person changes their mind, there’s some kind of mishap, et cetera. I’m lucky to have Lanie Edwards, the established YouTuber/makeup artist/designer who is also my daughter, running the social media for Gorjeti. She called my attention to Noah’s Instagram post and my heart leaped out of my chest. Then came MTV, Glamour magazine’s Best Dressed List, and Daily Mail coverage. It was surreal and I cried. The best part was celebrating with my daughters whose reactions and posts were priceless.
What are your ultimate career goals? I want to make a contribution to the fashion industry that is long-lasting and considered to be iconic. I’m open to the possibilities towards accomplishing this goal. Currently I have been focused on growing the Gorjeti brand.
Learn more at gorjeti.com and on Instagram @gorjeti.
Categories: Fashion Design Student
