Fashion designers Willy Chavarria and Hillary Taymour took the stage Monday night during a panel discussion hosted by Marist College’s fashion program where they discussed the state of the style industry and staying true to their missions.

Moderated by The Recent York Times fashion director and chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman and Marist College’s director of fashion program John Bartlett, the designers spoke to a room of alumni and students, giving insight into their very own businesses and the way they’ve navigated the style industry.

“In 2009, I used to be really lucky to start out a business in fashion school and it took off naturally,” said Taymour, who’s the creative director of fashion label Collina Strada. “I’m still lucky for it to be continuing naturally with this successful small business. I’m completely satisfied that it’s a sustainable small business, but I’m very aware of the industry because all the things may be very grow, grow, grow. I don’t think that’s the way in which for me. I feel to be completely satisfied with the art you’re making and having the ability to speak to the audience that you would like to speak to and having a narrow vision works for me.” 

Taymour spoke about how despite challenges within the industry, she stays committed to making a sustainable and eco-friendly fashion brand because she believes it’s the proper thing to do. 

Chavarria also spoke about staying true to 1’s values in the course of the panel, stating that supporting social justice issues has at all times been a core a part of his namesake label. 

“My very own past growing up as a queer person of color in a small town and having a family that was a part of the Civil Rights Movement and being very aware of those aspects that hold people down — I assume I had been within the industry long enough that I used to be like, everyone seems to be out for themselves here and there’s not plenty of good,” he said. “I used to be only going to do something if there was some good, otherwise I’d open a bakery or something.” 

Throughout the query and answer portion of the panel, an audience member referenced the designers’ mission of staying true to their values and asked how they impart that to their customers and following.

“You will have to align yourself with as many organizations as there are which have the identical philosophy of making change through fashion,” Chavarria said. “For me, it’s just being so convinced with yourself and your personal mission that you simply include that in anything that you simply do.”