Texas Tech fashion design student featured at New York Fashion Week

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Jillian Heckett is a junior at Texas Tech University, majoring in apparel design and manufacturing.

She says that her passion for design started before she even had a sewing machine.

“My passion for design began when I was around like four or five. If anyone knew me when I was that little I was always going around telling people I was going to be a fashion designer,” Heckett said.

She says she started out sketching princess dresses, then became fascinated with bridal gowns, and finally started her passion for ‘ready-to-wear’ designs.

Jillian says her mom has always been her number one supporter.

“My mom is actually the one who taught me how to sew. I got my first sewing machine as soon as I was able to learn how to use it, which I think it was right about nine years old,” Jillian said.

Jillian began sharing her portfolios on social media in high school; that’s when New York fashion schools began to take notice of her designs.

“New York Fashion Week this year came about actually back in 2019 when I was still a senior in high school.”

Her initial invitation to New York Fashion Week came in 2019, but the pandemic restrictions caused the fashion show to be canceled. Jillian’s designs finally made it to fashion’s biggest runways this year.

“I was absolutely thrilled to be able to actually share my projects and share this collection. This collection had been a culmination of a bunch of different thought processes and individual growth on my end,” Jillian said.

Heckett says although Texas Tech is not known for its fashion design program, she feels that her growth is thanks to her professors and peers.

”I was absolutely thrilled to be able to actually share my projects and share this collection because this collection had been a culmination of a bunch of different thought processes and individual growth on my end,” Jillian said.

Jillian’s designs can be found here.

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