I’ll never forget the first time I walked into JD Design Awards — not as a participant, but just sitting in the audience, watching the themes get unveiled. I was nervous, excited, and honestly unsure if I could pull it off.

Fast forward to when it was my turn. Rejection came early. I watched friends come back from concept approvals, disheartened. So I walked in with six different ideas, hoping one would stick. But Nealesh Sir gave me advice that still stays with me: “If you have six ideas, you don’t believe in any of them.”

That hit hard, but it also gave me clarity. I picked the one idea that truly meant something to me and gave it everything.

Sketching, redesigning, resketching. I went through over 100 silhouettes, and each feedback session reshaped my approach. It wasn’t just about creating clothes. It was about learning how to manage time, lead a team, deal with tailors, and juggle deadlines — all while surviving semester exams!

There were moments I wanted to quit. Times we lost resources, had breakdowns, missed hours of sleep. But I had mentors who believed in me, and friends who kept showing up.

Today, I work as a Buying Associate at Saks Fifth Avenue — and I can honestly say, I wouldn’t be here without JD. JD Design Awards didn’t just prepare me for the fashion world — it built my resilience.

To the students coming next, you will want to give up. Don’t. Trust the process. Trust your mentors. The reward is so much bigger than you imagine.