I created this collage to represent who I am and what my story is because I like to use story to tell an idea about my designs. This collage begins with the representation of me at the dinner table with my family not being able to get a word in. This symbolizes the beginning of me being a listener, an observer, and an explorer. Through observing all that was happening around me, I began to constantly feel the need for exploration and crave more story. The story goes on as the sunglasses demonstrate this need for exploring and seeing all that there is to see and experience. As the little figure moves from page to page, each setting changes, but each is adventurous in a different way. Elements of childhood and nostalgia are present, as well as cultural ideas and influences– showing my need for travel and experiencing life. This deep-seeded love for creating a playful and fun life of happiness is the root of my work. Happiness as the key reminds me to take everything lightly because my hard work and the goals I set for myself add pressure. This design philosophy of happiness and fun reminds me to take a step back and enjoy what I want others to enjoy. 
I used food to bring forth the elements of smell and taste because our memories are often linked with smell because the hippocampus in the brain is located near the region registering smells. The hippocampus stores memories, and as a result, I think this was the best sense to bring forth a sense of childhood. I think the child is the freest person on earth because the child does not need to feel confined by the reality that adults must live within. As a person who thinks that fantasy and living in the clouds is more fun and free, I definitely wanted to bring forth the idea of childhood to represent this in “my world”. Additionally, this creates the idea of whimsy and fun I would like to create.
As a tactile mood board, I used a bulletin board to show my work, photography, and experiences. This board includes the photographs of a five-look collection I created based on the quirkiness of gnomes and lawn flamingos mixed with the traditions of croquet. The other images include travel photographs, and quotes. Each of these elements is integral to who I am as a person and designer because I am always evolving by the world around me and experiences that I go through. While all of this may change, I want my ideas to always bring positivity and fun into the foreground.
I also included my project from my summer internship at Ralph Lauren which mixes my aesthetic applied to the personality of the Polo brand because it is an example of my designs that show who I am. This collection displays my family, youth, and nostalgia, along with the idea of a home away from home mixed with travel. These themes underscore much of my work whether the work is fun and bright or more about my heritage and history.
