My name is Hsin-Roe Pan, and I am a fashion designer- and also a wearable tech enthusiast, avid science fiction reader, Star Trek geek, etc. My goal is to someday seamlessly integrate and normalize digitized technology into my apparel designs for the comfort and accessibility of the wearer. In the future, I hope to convey individuality in my work by catering to every person’s unique style, fit, and needs so that they can express themselves without restraint. Plus size, genderless, handicapped, and everything in between.
I have always enjoyed creating, and as an enthusiastic kinesthetic learner, I’m constantly doing something with my hands. When I was little, I loved to draw. I drew on the walls, I drew in books, I drew on the backs of my dad’s old college engineering homework. According to my mother, who systematically saved every drawing I made, my favorite thing to draw was people. I liked capturing the different poses people make and telling stories with them, and I always insisted upon drawing a different, unique outfit for each of my characters. At that point, my dream job was to become an artist (I didn’t know what a fashion designer was), but I at least knew I enjoyed what I was doing.
Growing up, I found myself excelling in both STEM subjects (as influenced by my father) as well as the arts. Graduating as valedictorian of my class, I applied for a dozen different schools for both fashion design and mechanical engineering. However, Parsons remained my top choice, and New York felt much more like home than anywhere in the Midwest. Here, I hope improve upon my design skills and focus on incorporating my love for technology and engineering into fashion design. Check out some of my favorite designs below and follow me on my journey through my four years at the New School!
The Best:
The Legacy of Donna Karan (Artist Statement, Essays, and Art)
These are great too: