At 18, Jasmine Ford is already an award-winning fashion designer. The E. C. Glass High School senior’s original handmade dress won a silver medal at the 2026 Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference in D. C. this summer.
“It was scary to compete at such a high level against other people who are really serious about fashion. But it was a great experience that definitely made me more confident,” Ford said.
The national championship tested her technical proficiency in fashion construction against more than 60 high-powered contenders. Before that, judges gave the dress a perfect score and a gold medal at the state competition in April.
Take one look at the dress, and you’ll understand the hype. Layers of deep red, black, and lace come together in a mermaid-style gown that flares dramatically at the bottom. Gold hardware, puff sleeves, a corset, and an oversized white bow in the back add visual interest.
“FCCLA has a theme every year, and last year’s was ‘connected.’ I was thinking about the root of all connection, which I figured was love…whether that’s for a hobby, a religion, or something else,” Ford said. “So I decided to come up with a dress to represent what I love: gold and lace. There’s a subtle heart shape from the neckline to the bodice to represent the love you feel for what you do—what you’re connected to.”
This isn’t something you could find on a rack at the store. It took Ford 213 hours to create the dress, from the initial concept sketches to the final result.
“I love the design aspect of sewing. Getting from step A to step B is a great feeling—drawing up the design, making the patterns, and putting it all together,” Ford said.
The young designer credits her grandma and mom as her first teachers and biggest inspirations. She first took up sewing as a pandemic project, following YouTube tutorials to build her skills. When Ford started taking Culinary Arts courses at E. C. Glass, her teacher encouraged her to participate in FCCLA.
“I saw the FCCLA fashion show my sophomore year, and I was inspired. I decided to construct my first-ever dress, which was a blue and starry gown,” Ford said.
The dress placed second at the 2025 state FCCLA conference and won a silver medal at the national level. From that point on, Ford was hooked.
Ford spent more than $200 on materials for her dress for the 2025 competition. In 2026, she only spent $12, thanks to the school’s newly formed sewing club. Led by E. C. Glass teacher Patricia Finn-Rapiejko, known by staff and students as PFR, “Le Club Threads” provided Ford with most of the materials she used to construct the dress—many of which were donated by community members.
“PFR is definitely a mentor to me. She’s been supplying all the fabric I need and just being a great help with textiles and all the things I didn’t know about sewing,” Ford said. “I’m happy she’s my teacher. I’m going to miss her.”
Ford has quickly become the sewing club’s principal student leader. As meetings start up again, she’s taken it upon herself to recruit new members and grow the club.
Photo caption: E. C. Glass teacher Patricia Finn-Rapiejko leads the school’s sewing club.
“I was a quiet kid. Going from homeschool to high school was kind of shaky at first. But sewing and FCCLA have helped me break out of my shell and become more of a leader,” Ford said. “I plan to become a class representative this year, so hopefully that works out.”
Ford credits the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at Lynchburg City Schools for helping her discover her passion for fashion.
“CTE paves the way for you to discover new career paths you might not otherwise have the chance to explore. Whether it be automotive, culinary, or even carpentry, it can help you find out what you want to do after high school,” Ford said.
After graduation, Ford wants to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology and become a fashion designer. She’ll also earn professional certifications through her Culinary Arts classes at E. C. Glass that will help her earn a living in the restaurant industry while she’s building her fashion career.
But there are still nine months until graduation, and Ford plans to make the most of them. With plans to compete in FCCLA again and sew her own homecoming dress, she’s looking forward to her best year yet.
“I’m excited to keep growing as a designer,” Ford said.
