About Clarissa Joy

Clarissa - The Creator
   Clarissa was born on October 9, 1993 and was raised to believe in the passion of what she was called to do. "As I went through life, I was like every little kid. I wanted to be a teacher, a lawyer, and I even wanted at one point to be a doctor," she said. Over time, those dreams never seemed to fit her. She found that she was creative and desired to use her creativity to create a world or a product of her own. It was her junior year of high school that she finally realized what her calling was.
    "Some of my classmates and I were sitting at a table together talking about one of peer's who took pictures for the seniors," she stated. "She was very good at it and tried to edit as little as possible. She was and is still very talented. An idea at that moment popped into my head and I looked at the group and asked 'I wonder if she would do modeling photos for me when I start my business.' They all looked at me like I was crazy and tole me that I wouldn't be able to afford her by the time it started." Although the statement of her classmates broker her heart, she continued with her passion and started looking at schools with fashion programs.
      "My senior year, I decided on Missouri State University. It was cheaper than Parsons but still had an amazing education program for the fashion industry." She signed up weeks later after she got her acceptance letter but there was still doubt from her family and friends that this was the right path. "Everyone told me that I should get into graphic design because I was good with computers and liked to create movies or poster and flyers using it. So, I did and the first two weeks of college weren't what I wanted them to be. I didn't feel right being in something that I didn't love and was only a hobby." So, she changed her major and went back into fashion design.
      Her sophomore year of college she decided to get more involved on campus. She decided to rush a new sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma and got accepted as a new member. She designs apparel for the sorority as part of the T-Shirt and Apparel Committee. Then, she joined the Association of Fashion and Design, where she works to help put together runway shows for the fashion department as part of the Public Relations Committee.