Young Navajo fashion designer

Victorialyn McCarthy:  A knack for fashion

By Jacelle Ramon-SauberanMcCarthy’s grandmother Nellie taught her how to sew. She said her grandmother studied fashion in college and was a home economics teacher. Growing up McCarthy would sew pow wow outfits, doll clothes, little things for herself and crazy outfits for her 13-year-old sister Miranda Giger.

After working at the dry cleaners for six months McCarthy started doing alterations on her own clothes and other peoples.

“People started asking about my outfits and my weird shoe laces on my shoes at school,” she said. “Then in public more people started asking me so I started networking and hanging up fliers.”

In 2009, McCarthy participated in Scottsdale Fashion in Scottsdale, Ariz., and was a semi-finalist in the Designer of the Year competition. This year she will be participating in Phoenix Fashion Week taking place Oct. 7-9 in Phoenix, Ariz.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Clauschee Mentors Young Designers and Un3ek Sy5tem at the Heard.