(06/23/16) BATON ROUGE, La. – Shatikawa Griffin got her love of fashion from her grandmother and refined her apparel design skills as a 4-H’er in Richland Parish when she participated in the Project Runway program during 4-H University.

Now a junior in the LSU College of Agriculture majoring in textiles, apparel and merchandising, Griffin planned and managed the fashion program on June 22 and 23 during 4-H University – an annual LSU AgCenter event where 4‑H’ers from across Louisiana participate in contests and educational programs on the LSU campus.

“When I participated in it four years ago, I never thought I would be overseeing it one day,” Griffin said.

Project Runway is a two-day educational program that takes participants through fashion inspiration, apparel design techniques, garment design using newspapers and t-shirts, and mini-runway shows.

Griffin planned the workshop, keeping some of the things she enjoyed when she participated and adding a few new components.

“Creating the inspiration board is something new this year,” she said.

Maree Houston, a high school junior from Jefferson Parish, was cutting out images of shoes from a fashion magazine for her inspiration board. Houston described her style as “basic but bold.”

Houston and four other 4-H’ers won the newspaper design competition with a design that included a sweetheart neckline, peplum and straight skirt. Aaliyah Edinburgh, also a junior from Jefferson Parish, modeled the outfit created out of newspaper.

“I signed up for Project Runway because I wanted to do something different this year,” Edinburgh said. “I didn’t know we would actually be designing. It’s been really fun.”

Tristin Linscombe, a 4-H’er from Grant Parish, filled her inspiration board with romantic images of lace and flowers.

“I am doing something more formal, like for prom,” Linscombe said. “I’ve always liked designing, so I thought this would be fun. And it has been so much fun.”

Griffin hopes the 4-H’ers participating in her program learn to work under pressure, open up their inspiration and collaborate.

“If they want to work in this field, those are the keys to being successful,” Griffin said. “The fashion industry is not a laid-back career.”

Griffin plans to work in apparel design after graduation and is already starting her own business.

“It’s an inspiring agency that expresses stories through design,” she said. “I will launch my website by the end of July.”

Shatikawa Griffin, right, an apparel design student in the LSU College of Agriculture, helps Kylie Hunt, a 4-H’er from Grant Parish, with a fashion inspiration board during 4Project Runway at 4-H University. Griffin, a former 4-H’er, is overseeing the educational program in which she participated when she was in high school. (Photo by Tobie Blanchard)

Maree Houston, a 4-H’er from Jefferson Parish, cuts out images from a magazine for a fashion inspiration board. Houston participated in Project Runway, a fashion educational event held during 4-H University on the LSU campus. (Photo by Tobie Blanchard)