Miss Dillard University Briana Thomas Showcases at NYFW

Footaction’s exclusive HBCU competition in partnership with black-owned design academies FAAS and PENSOLE. Selected five HBCU students to travel to Portland, Oregon,. Amongst the five students was Briana Thomas of Dillard University. she placed 3rd with an award of $10,000 and 5,000 respectively.

Once hearing about the competition from a friend Briana thought immediately I won the Top Emerging Designer at New Orleans Fashion Week, so [Angela Medlin] thought I would be good for it.

When asked what she has learned Briana said"Every day Ms. Angela really helped me to have a new best. I’ve never been to fashion school. Everything I learned I more so taught myself or had very minimal training on it. So I learned a lot about pattern making, sketching, things that really make a product cohesive. Not only to get your ideas out on paper, but also creating a road

map so that it can be produced.

Going on in the future, Briana hopes to be in fashion because it's something she is really passionate about "It feels great to get my ideas out, and I think my background in marketing really helps me to convey my ideas to other people'.