Spring Break
The Daily OrangeTim Westbrook hones inner passion for fashion with new projects
By Greg Miller
Posted: 4/6/09, 3:18 AM EST Section: Feature
Tim Westbrook is all about the spoons.
Not in the putting-food-in-your-mouth kind of way. No, more in a using-them-to-make-incredible-dresses kind of way.
A sophomore fashion design student, Westbrook has been interested in clothes since he was a little boy playing with Barbies. Unlike most Barbie-loving little boys, Westbrook was mostly interested in creating clothes for the dolls, not just buying outfits.
"I had 23 Barbies, so I had a 23-state Barbie beauty pageant with them," said Westbrook. "I'd make their gowns out of things like sheets. My mom would say 'There's something there.'"
It was that creativity that made his parents take notice of his potential future in design. After a Christmas morning in which Westbrook ran to his sister's present pile, the family enrolled Westbrook in sewing classes when he was in third grade, which complemented the hand sewing he had been doing with his grandmother since age 5 or 6.
"My parents were always really supportive of everything," said Westbrook.
That support reached a new level when it came time for high school. Westbrook's local high school in the very small Wanakena, N.Y., had cancelled its drama program, initially destroying Westbrook's hope of designing costumes for the school play. In order to give him more opportunity, Westbrook's mother rented an apartment in Canton, N.Y., - two hours from their home - so he could go to a different school and have a better education with more prospects.
Throughout high school, Westbrook was able to costume a number of plays at both the high school and middle school in the area, with shows ranging from "Annie Get Your Gun" to Disney's "Aladdin Jr." Meanwhile, he interned during his junior and senior years in the costume shop at St. Lawrence University in Canton, Mass. His mom took a job in Canton, and the two went home often on weekends to see Westbrook's father.
"They did it because it was cheaper than boarding school," said Westbrook. "That's support."
Not in the putting-food-in-your-mouth kind of way. No, more in a using-them-to-make-incredible-dresses kind of way.
A sophomore fashion design student, Westbrook has been interested in clothes since he was a little boy playing with Barbies. Unlike most Barbie-loving little boys, Westbrook was mostly interested in creating clothes for the dolls, not just buying outfits.
"I had 23 Barbies, so I had a 23-state Barbie beauty pageant with them," said Westbrook. "I'd make their gowns out of things like sheets. My mom would say 'There's something there.'"
It was that creativity that made his parents take notice of his potential future in design. After a Christmas morning in which Westbrook ran to his sister's present pile, the family enrolled Westbrook in sewing classes when he was in third grade, which complemented the hand sewing he had been doing with his grandmother since age 5 or 6.
"My parents were always really supportive of everything," said Westbrook.
That support reached a new level when it came time for high school. Westbrook's local high school in the very small Wanakena, N.Y., had cancelled its drama program, initially destroying Westbrook's hope of designing costumes for the school play. In order to give him more opportunity, Westbrook's mother rented an apartment in Canton, N.Y., - two hours from their home - so he could go to a different school and have a better education with more prospects.
Throughout high school, Westbrook was able to costume a number of plays at both the high school and middle school in the area, with shows ranging from "Annie Get Your Gun" to Disney's "Aladdin Jr." Meanwhile, he interned during his junior and senior years in the costume shop at St. Lawrence University in Canton, Mass. His mom took a job in Canton, and the two went home often on weekends to see Westbrook's father.
"They did it because it was cheaper than boarding school," said Westbrook. "That's support."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Pablo Enterrios
posted 10/17/09 @ 1:07 PM EST
Tim Westbrook, congratulations !! You know I allways trutsted in your ability with fabrics. Continue like this You are, will be, one of the Bigs in Fashion World. (Continued…)
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