Pivot to Fashion
Hanna Nakaishi Reyes is an aspiring apparel designer who has always known her dream was to create high fashion. While her initial start in fashion merchandising at Cañada College didn’t feel like the right fit, she explored other avenues in teaching, data analytics, and real estate escrow. While working as an escrow assistant, Hanna began to question her path, wondering why she was attempting to climb a corporate ladder that didn’t align with her passions. She started seeking opportunities to return to fashion and discovered West Valley’s fashion design program.
When she was laid off from her escrow position in the summer of 2022, she saw it as the perfect time to return to school and finally pursue the dream she had been passionate about. After many sleepless nights and with the support of the professors at West Valley, Hanna learned how to make fashion illustrations, a suit from scratch, and eventually a full collection. She found deep inspiration in the opulent ornamentation of Gothic architecture. This aesthetic, combined with her desire to create more diverse clothing options for masculine-presenting people outside of the classic suit, became the foundation for her senior collection.
“The timing was perfect to go back to school and finally pursue something that I was passionate about.”– Hanna Nakaishi Reyes
Since graduating in May 2025, Hanna has remained focused on the industry as she navigates the transition into a new career. Between attending weddings and a trip to the Louver Couture Exhibit in Paris, she continues to refine her eye for fashion while seeking her next opportunity to work in the field.
LinkedIn: hanna-reyes
Garments:
- Adornment of Nocturne: Bunny, 2025
- Adornment of Nocturne: Bunny, 2025, Annual Cilker School of Art and Design Graduate Fashion Design Student Fashion Show, West Valley College
- Adornment of Nocturne: DV, 2025
