In the next few years, make sure to be on the lookout for Tamika Bellamy, a Sacramento State student and talented designer with a flair for creating stylish clothing.

The senior apparel marketing and design major is the president of the Student Fashion Association at Sac State. She has been a part of the club since 2008 and was the vice president last semester.

While Bellamy knew she wanted to be a designer, she did not know Sac State had a major for apparel marketing and design. Bellamy was looking to join an on-campus club and signed up to join the Student Fashion Association when she saw an advertisement to be a designer for the club’s fall fashion show.

“I was the first and only one to sign up on that sheet and (the Student Fashion Association) called me, so I went to the meetings and I joined (the club),” Bellamy said. “I became a designer in the show and I showcased five pieces.”

In her first show, Global Bazaar, her line was called Asian Persuasion, a Chinese-inspired fashion line. Mandarin collars and Chinese silk on her designs were used to give them an Asian and modern look.

While attending Sac State, Bellamy has been in eight fashion shows and she has her own couture line called “Tiena Mae Couture.”

She said the name “Tiena Mae” came from her own name because her name in Chinese is Tiang Meng.

“I make custom clothes for customers based off my fashion show designs,” Bellamy said. “All my clothes look pre-couture, but are ready-to-wear and couture mixed together. I live and dream of my designs, then I create them.”

After graduating from Sac State, Bellamy said she wants to move to New York.

“First, I want to get an internship as an assistant designer and move my way up to head designer of a couture-like fashion company or ready-to-wear line,” Bellamy said.

Opening her own boutique and a chain of stores with her fashion line are some of things Bellamy would like to do in New York. Not sure of what designer to work with yet, Bellamy likes the designers Alexander McQueen and Vera Wang.

“McQueen had the couture – very extravagant designs. And even though he is not alive anymore, he thought of very creative ideas for different fashion shows,” Bellamy said. “I just think he was so unique and I want to be just like him (someday).”

When it comes to being a leader, Bellamy describes herself as optimistic because she looks at things with an open mind.

Bellamy said she always takes other opinions into consideration and tries to be creative.

Fiona Lau, senior apparel marketing and design major and vice president of Student Fashion Association, said Bellamy is on top of all the tasks they need to do and is a good delegator.

“(She) makes sure we meet those deadlines, assures we are doing a good job at the (Student Fashion Association) and (collaborates) with everybody,” Lau said.

Bellamy said she does not have a personal style, but her style can be unpredictable.

“Everybody says I have a different style every week,” Bellamy said.

She said she likes to get her clothes overseas from places like Taiwan and tries to dress with an Asian style.

“I like global fashion and traveling, so I travel to a lot of different places and get ideas from all the different fashion around the world to bring back to the United States,” Bellamy said. “It is something we do not have.”

Starting her own kids’ line for kids’ ages 10-14 is up next for Bellamy and she said she hopes to do a toddler’s fashion line in the future.

Jennifer Siopongco, junior communications studies major and secretary of Student Fashion Association, said Bellamy knows what she wants and is very direct about it.

“(Bellamy’s) mentality is always, ‘If I can do it, you can do it,’ and I also try to live by that standard while I also do my million other fashion-related projects,” Siopongco said. “She will work you really hard, but only because she knows what your potential is.”

Bellamy would like to be remembered as a leader and someone who helped communities.

“I want to be known as a great designer in the world where you are one of the best and most creative designers,” Bellamy said. “(Someone who) will always be recognized for your great attitude, work, creativeness and heart.”

Brittany Lambert can be reached at [email protected]