As graduation approached, Chelsi knew she wanted to study fashion in college. But the famous design schools she dreamed of, like Parsons and the Fashion Institute of Technology, were out of reach, too expensive even with the scholarship money she was offered. She chose Auburn University, a more affordable in-state option that still has connections to the fashion industry. She just finished her sophomore year there, studying apparel merchandising and journalism. The same drive that motivated her group chat takeovers followed her to college; she quickly rose through the ranks at Auburn’s fashion magazine, Swatch, with her focus now set on the editor-in-chief title.
Photographed by Ashley Markle
As she entered the second half of her teens, Chelsi’s taste began to evolve. Drawn to the girlish awkwardness of Miu Miu and bold 2010s teen magazines like Rookie, she arrived at a look that feels at once twee and declarative. The sweetness of Chelsi’s wardrobe, with its babydoll dresses and bubble-hem skirts, feels in some ways at odds with the catty militance of the fashion-obsessed internet that raised her. Her childhood bedroom houses a small but impressive collection of ultrafeminine, mostly vintage finds from brands like Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs, and Betsy Johnson. A princess-like chintz canopy, handmade by Chelsi’s mother, Theresa, hangs above her twin bed. Even her miniature trash can has been girlified, its stainless steel body fitted with a pink tulle tutu.
While Chelsi absorbed fashion media online, she learned about how clothes are actually made at home. Just a few steps from Chelsi’s room is Theresa’s craft room, stocked with neat towers of fabric, drawers of trim, and several sewing machines. An army veteran now in her 70s, Theresa picked up sewing as a hobby early in her military career, later passing on her knack with a needle and thread to Chelsi. Before we settle in for the interview, Theresa shows me a sweet sailor shirt she made for Chelsi, inspired by a $900 Miu Miu top they saw at the brand’s boutique on a trip to New York. Later, Chelsi presents some of her own handiwork—a cheerful collection of prize ribbons inspired by designer Sandy Liang’s reimagining of the award.
