2021 Recipient Winner - Mya S (Simiah)

Savannah College of Art and Design - 2025

I have had a passion for fashion for as long as I can remember. I began teaching myself to sew at 14, since then, my skills have continued to improve. At a young age, my mother instilled in me the importance of being an entrepreneur. I now have a custom clothing line, Signature Struts, that specializes in prom and evening wear. I participated in my first fashion week in 2019. I won in my category that year and from that point, I knew this was something I was called to do. Being an artist is the most important aspect of my life. I express myself through all of my designs.

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Mya’s Vision

I hope to one day open a boutique for Signature Struts. I see my designs at events such as Met Gala, Bet Awards, Oscars, Emmys and the Golden Globes. The fashion industry is flawed in many ways. For years, models of darker complexions have been overlooked. My artistic gift is different from the rest as I will use Signature Struts to showcase women of various shapes, sizes and complexions, showing society that there is no such thing as a beauty standard. Once I graduate, a long term goal of mine is to one day have my own tv show similar to Project Runway. I want my show to be centered around minority designers in efforts to help them get the exposure they need to succeed as a business. I feel that doing this will create change for the future generations.