CROWS LANDING – Antonia Souza, a native of Crows Landing, is climbing the ladder of the high fashion industry with style. The 2003 Orestimba High graduate recently participated in a fashion show for advanced students of the Art Institute of California in Hollywood, where professional models walked the runway showcasing each student’s designs.

Souza’s unique fashion line was well-received. “People seemed to like my designs; there was lots of applause,” Souza enthusiastically and proudly described. “It was very exciting!”

The event was held at the renowned Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and aptly named “Your Night to Shine on the Red Carpet.” Students had six months to design and create eight outfits that could be worn at any awards show.

Souza said she used the opportunity to showcase the diversity of her edgy and structured designing style by creating three different looks – corsets and shorts to be used while performing on stage, short dresses for movie premiers or smaller award presentations and long formal gowns for a big night at the Oscars.

The legendary theatre was packed with buyers, designers and stylists, people in the fashion industry looking for interns as well as the teachers, students and families of the up-and-coming designers.

“It was a very big show and a great opportunity to show off my work and get my name out in the industry,” Souza pointed out.

The complete line of eight outfits was modeled on the runway in just two minutes as Souza nervously watched from behind the scenes.

 “It was hectic at first because I found out they put the corset upside down on my model and put someone else’s skirt with it,” Souza shared.

She said it was an annoying way to start the biggest show in her life but was soon forgotten when the applause and positive reactions continued to build with every outfit that followed. Souza was beaming with pride and joy when she took center stage on the runway for her designers’ bow.

Shortly after the show finished, a stylist contacted one of her teachers and inquired about the clothing line. “The stylist came to my apartment the following week and picked the whole line up, all eight pieces!” she explained.  Her clothes were used in a photo shoot for Prime J, up and coming R & B singers. The following week the line was used again for a photo shoot with actress/model Shannon Mockler, and Souza’s teacher told her they are working on lining up other photo shoots as well. “My clothes may be appearing in magazines and on album covers very soon!” Souza exclaimed.

In the meantime, she is enjoying a few weeks off from school before completing her final quarter of studies, although that doesn’t mean she isn’t still very busy.

Souza and some friends created a group called Stitches Fashion. They book simple fashion shows in area clubs, an opportunity to display their styles in a variety of venues to prospective clientele. “We create clothes specifically for each show. Some weeks I am designing and sewing five outfits in a matter of days to prepare for a show that we had just booked,” Souza explained.

Her life is busy - in the way she has dreamed about since she first knew high fashion design was her calling in life.

Looking back, she said, it all began with sewing alongside her grandmother. She was about 6 years old when her grandmother taught her to sew. She has fond memories of the doll clothes they would create together back then. It was when her father strongly suggested that she get involved in 4-H that the idea of sewing and fashion design as a carrer hit Souza.

“And then I began looking into the possibilities, what schools were available and I began to work towards the goal of attending the Art Institute,” Souza explained. She studied at the San Francisco campus for three years before transferring to the Hollywood campus, where she currently is set to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts this fall.

She is hoping to land an internship with a designer in the high fashion line. Her first choice would be to work with Rodarte, whose work she described as “really different, futuristic, whimsical, edgy but still girly.”

Her portfolio and resume are ready and she’s anxious to take the next step in making her dream a reality by marketing her unique designs.