By Kaitlin Sides | Reporter
Charleston, S.C., freshman Morgan MacAnanny said when she saw her fellow classmates at 12-years-old starting slime businesses, she wanted to start something of her own and take it a step further. MacAnanny has had a passion for sewing since elementary school.
“Before I started sewing, I was just like, I have to be in fashion design somehow,” MacAnanny said. “But really specifically, bridal was where I want it to be.”
At a young age she realized this passion she had, so she attended Charleston County School of the Arts for all four years of high school, helping her kickstart her career.
“That’s really where I learned how to sew, and my love for it grew,” MacAnanny said. “Over those years, you’re doing it every single day with the same group of girls, same teachers and they’re just really pouring into you.”
Over the course of high school, she would attend one 90-minute fashion class per day, which solidified the idea that she could turn this passion into a career. By the end of high school, she had eight to ten pieces which were all part of her thesis collection.
Over the past two years, MacAnanny has been working with the owner of The Showroom Charleston, Kelly Durrette, who has become a mentor and given her the chance to rent out pieces of her thesis collection.
Durrette said when she first met MacAnanny, she was shocked to hear she was a rising senior in high school, because of the talent she had at such a young age.
“She’s just really always been really special,” Durrette said. “You know, I mean, besides her talent, but just an amazing person. And I’m just so excited to see her go off to design school, because that’s where she needs to be.”
The pair first met just shy of two years ago, before Durrette had a storefront. Durrette said she not only loves to work with MacAnanny because it is a pleasant experience but also because she is beyond her years.
“She’s mature and talented,” Durrette said. “So being able to bring in a local designer too, I love her passion and her talent. I had no question about bringing her things in.”
MacAnanny continues to work with Durrette, and one of her pieces will be featured this weekend in the Lexus Charleston Fashion Week.
When deciding whether or not she should move across the country to come to Baylor, she had peace of mind knowing she would get to experience some of those things she missed out in high school, including having a football team.
“I think something about not having a football team and those little things that I missed out on, because it was more like a career instead of just high school and the normal experience.”
Even with traveling back to Charleston often, MacAnanny manages her social media and continues to rent and create custom bridal and formal wear, while balancing her class load.
MacAnanny said she is grateful for not having Friday classes this first semester, and professors that understand she has a career outside of her school.
“I feel like every professor that you have is like, genuinely interested in like, seeing you succeed,” MacAnanny said.”I think just every professor that I’ve had so far, they’re all just like, really want to see you improve and grow in your skills, and will help you get there faster, too.”
As a fashion design student, MacAnanny plans to continue to her work from her dorm room and enjoy her time at Baylor, and possibly get the chance to study abroad in the coming summers.
“They have a great study abroad program,” MacAnanny said. “It’s a couple of weeks in one location. I think that’s really cool because it hits all the fashion capitals and all the places that you’d want to be able to see.”
