Not many aspiring fashion designers can say the very first time they released a complete fashion collection to the public, at Sacramento State’s student fashion show, they won popular vote by viewers.

Vice President of Sacramento State’s Student Fashion Association Madelynn Esquivias can say she has.

When people think about famous designers from around the world, they may wonder what inspires designers to create amazing work that millions of people enjoy. Last spring, at the Sacramento State Student Fashion Association’s fashion show Esquivias’ collection, “Eden,” came from the heart.

Her mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, inspired her collection in last spring’s fashion show. Throughout the collection, Esquivias featured pieces that women with breast cancer scars could wear, making them feel beautiful, comfortable, feminine and fashionable.

Amber Croan, Student Fashion Association’s Social Affairs Officer and fashion merchandising and design senior, helped Esquivias with her collection last semester and is given some credit for the collection‘s success.

“I absolutely love working with Madelynn,” Croan said. “Whenever we are collaborating on something, the ideas seem to just flow. We both joke around saying that we desperately need each other to create amazing things. Madelynn is so talented and whenever you work with her, its hard not to come up with brilliant ideas.”

Esquivias said she finds inspiration in many things, whether it is relying on family, friends or some of the worlds most popular designers to feed her creative spirit.

“Coco Chanel…she broke the mold, she was innovative. I really like Michael Kors’ earlier stuff because he knows how to fit clothing to a woman to enhance their curves, but one of my top [designers] is Yves Saint Laurent because he really was innovative in his visions [and] they weren’t something you would normally see,” Esquivias said.

Due to moving around a lot as a child, going to many different schools and studying abroad in France, Esquivias has been exposed to a lot of different cultures, thus making her a more open-minded, varied individual with many different designs.

Even though she is busy with her own designs and day-to-day tasks, Esquivias said she finds time to think about the well-being of others.

In her new role as vice president, Esquivias is doing everything in her power to help better the Student Fashion Association club as a whole. Whether it be pushing designer participation in the Student Fashion Association to go above and beyond or helping people in the community through nonprofits.

Outside of the fashion world, Esquivias makes it a point to help those in need as well. She dedicates part of her free time as a volunteer at Project Kindle, an organization that strives to improve the quality of life for children, young adults and families dealing with serious illnesses or special needs through recreational experiences, educational programs and support services.

With a fashion show expected next semester, Esquivias said she is extremely excited to show her new collection as well as to encourage all of the designers, stylists and makeup artists participating in the show to thrive and showcase their work in the best ways possible.

Part of the reason Esquivias and Student Fashion Association President Nikko Panganiban decided it would be best to only have a fashion show once a year is to give the designers more time. Esquivias and Panganiban said their team is bound to do an extraordinary job.

“We want them to push outside of their comfort zone,” Esquivias said. “People can do so much bigger and better than what they think they can, they just don’t know it or they haven’t had someone push them in that way.”

Judging by her schedule, Esquivias is very busy, but no matter what she’s doing, Esquivias said she has the desire to put her all into it and to lift and help others along the way.

In the years to come, Esquivias said she sees herself doing what she loves and helping others in the process.

“I always knew that whatever I did has to be big so that whatever money I earn I could still live a stable life,” said Esquivias. “It doesn’t have to be a million dollar mansion, but just a stable life enough to be able to give some back to everyone else.”

Anisca Miles can be reached at [email protected]