``I was the person who painted my room white with splattered black paint. I hung a few pictures from <PERSON>; everything else was white. My surroundings needed to be pretty. But, I was also the person who was totally tall, really awkward, incredibly gawky, and just didn't fit in. I took a home ec class where I had to make something for myself. I made a long, watermelon-printed skirt and found everyone wanted it. It was the first time I felt I could do something on my own; I fell in love with creating things.'' -- <PERSON>, on how she got into design.