by Grace George ’17
While most students have been cramming for tests and fitting in college applications, senior Steven Collini has been focusing on more than just school. He has taken a risk by straying away from the norm of West Essex and designing his own clothing line called Wolf, as a branch of his larger brand, Tree.
Steven made his first shirt midway through his junior year and has continued to use clothing as his medium of expression. He makes each article of clothing by hand, and each branch of his brand is inspired from a specific painting of his. Steven said he rejects the idea of setting limits and placing labels on a single style. With the brand name being Tree Steven creates separate “branches” each month that are inspired by his personal paintings, emphasizing the diversity of his style.
This specific branch of Tree includes shirts, sweatshirts and shoes of all different styles. He strives to create bold, boundary-pushing styles that people want to wear.
On Nov. 1, Steven hosted his own fashion show in the Fairfield Park, showcasing his original
designs. During lunch that day, he made an announcement in the cafeteria inviting everyone to come and experience something new.
“The reason I did the speech at lunch was to share a way of looking at the world so we as seniors can enjoy our last year together,” Steven said.
While his passion is to design and sell apparel that reflects his own attitude toward societal norms, Steven said his fashion shows are more of a social experiment for him than a platform to display his label.
A crowd of around 30 people came to see Steven’s original clothing line in action that evening. After a spotlight malfunction, Steven improvised with car headlights to illuminate the dark runway. Star Marching Knight drummer, Michael Bachmann, played a steady beat as students from West Essex and neighboring towns alike walked the runway in “Wolf ” apparel.
“It was a fun experience,” said senior Zac Balz, one of Steven’s models. “The clothes were a good balance between being comfortable and stylish.”
Once all the models finished, Steven performed a short dance for his audience following a heartfelt speech to those who follow and support him.
“Thank you guys so much,” Steven said. “This is my dream and I will never forget this.”
Steven said his main objective is to help his fellow seniors find beauty in the world around them and view their peers beyond their social status. He encourages the senior class to befriend people “on the other side of the wall” and learn from each other’s varying perspectives and thoughts. Steven plans to pursue his passions by attending college for art and business, but he also is determined to continue his fashion show social experiments. “They can only get better from the first one,” he said.
Steven continues to venture into the world of fashion with designing and creating his own clothes. “Having a closed mind is bad,” Steven said, “In college we will all realize this but why not realize it senior year.”
