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October 18, 2010
Sonia heard her fellow design students talk about the posting in the hall; it was something she never would have been able to read for herself. The need for volunteers at a fashion show was unheard of, and the students were abuzz with excitement at the opportunity. Listening to her fellow fashion design students, Sonia could feel her heart racing at the thought of being part of a Lawrence show. She could dip her toes into the real fashion world and see everything up close and personal. She knew staying with Fashion Design might be closed off to her, but she had to take part in the fashion show and see what she could learn. It would be risky; she could discover she truly had no future in fashion. Or, she just might find a way to stick with fashion design.
Sonia met Lin after class and drug her to the hallway to read the notice so she could get the details without asking one of her own classmates to read it for her.
Lin read the notice out loud. “Volunteers needed to help at Lawrence’s grandest fashion show. This extravaganza will be held on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on November 8, 2010 at 2:00 pm. This fashion show will not only highlight his exquisite new line, but will emphasize the art world of Philadelphia, including local musicians and artists. Volunteers are needed to help dress models, direct traffic, change sets, and help with food and drinks. Be a part of fashion history. Sign-up forms can be found at www.lawrence.fashion.com.”
“Well, it’s sounds like a big to-do?” Lin asked.
“It sounds amazing, and I have to be a part of it! Do you have your phone with you?” Sonia asked. She grinned and her heart raced thinking about being part of a Lawrence fashion show.
“Have you met me? Of course, I have my phone.”
“Let’s use it now and get me signed up for this event.”
Lin blew some hair that had fallen down over her eyes out of the way as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. Sonia could hear the faint clicks Lin’s phone made as she entered the URL.
"The volunteer form is long. Let’s go to your room to work on it."
“OK, let’s go.”
Sonia hurried Lin to her dorm room, certain this experience would change her life.
After getting comfortable on Sonia’s bed, Lin used Sonia’s laptop to find the URL and read the questions to Sonia. While Sonia thought about the more challenging questions, Lin typed in the information she was familiar with.
“What major should we list? Looks like they vet volunteers. There's a question on unique talents or attributes.”
“What am I supposed to list there, do you think?” Sonia’s mouth went dry at Lin’s question about talents or attributes. What could she say that would make her seem interesting?
“Your blindness.”
“Are you trying to say my...” Sonia lowered her voice, “my blindness is a unique talent?”
“Talent? No, but unique attribute? Yes. Let’s include it; you’ll stand out.”
“I can’t just turn in an application that says I’m blind.” Sonia could feel her stomach lurch and heave at the thought of simply announcing she was losing her vision.
“It asks for unique traits. Your experience makes you unique.”
Sonia could feel a wave of despair wash over her as she thought about what her prospects were in fashion design as a blind woman. She swallowed away the lump in her throat. “Lin, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”
“It will help your application stand out. You want to be picked, right?”
“Well, if you think it will help my chances...” Sonia’s voice trailed off uncertainly.
“You will stand out. We’ll list your major as undecided.”
“Not undecided, fashion design!”
“I thought you were going to change it.”
“I probably need to, but I haven’t yet. What’s more unique than a blind fashion design student?”
Lin and Sonia carefully crafted a statement about her interest in fashion and art, as well as her low vision, wording it carefully to skirt around her current vision abilities, but drawing attention to the fact that Stargardt’s leads to blindness.
“If he wants different, you totally check that box.”
Two days later, Sonia listened to other students talk about whether they had received an invitation to be a volunteer or not, and many were unhappy. True to his word, Lawrence was looking for not merely people to help, but people who were unique and stood out from a crowd. Sonia almost felt like crowing from the rooftop that she had succeeded where her classmates had not. But instead of gloating, she kept the news to herself like a precious gem, treasuring it quietly in her heart.
When Sonia received her confirmation email, it came with a picture attached with instructions to print off the image and wear it. The picture was a stylized cherry red “L” that was used in Lawrence’s logo. Sonia printed it and Lin cut it out and even had the equipment to laminate it. She also adhered a pin back to it so Sonia could wear it anywhere she liked.