Exhausted from a long day of school, you turn a corner of A hall on your way to the buses. You stop to tie your shoe before you reach the staircase. As you glance up, you see a flash of color and swerve your head to do a double take.

No, you are not imagining things. The flash of color was none other than one of freshman Alexandra Merino’s colorful and wacky hand-made outfits.

“I’m happy that nobody dresses like me,” says Merino. “I like being different.” Merino started creating and wearing her own outfits in the eighth grade, after her mother bought her a sewing machine.

The Blake community has been widely accepting of Merino’s multi-colored outfits, but others have not been so friendly. “I’ve had people throw stuff at me, make fun of me, and follow me around the mall, it’s so crazy,” she says.

Though she does suffer from the cruelty of the world outside of Blake, Merino never considered not dressing the way she does. She says, “I dress this way because I like it. I’m a colorful person.”

Junior Sarah Waterworth says, “I think she’s really brave to wear something like that and not care what other people think of her.” The Blake community has a reputation for an accepting and creative environment that fosters artists and designers like Merino.

Inspiration for the outfits comes from anything she likes, ranging from polka dots to pianos. Says Merino, “The inspiration comes from things I like, so I try ‘I like watermelon’…and I have to buy watermelon earrings, and just try to find the little things.” Merino is a designer for this year’s Fashion X, and is currently halfway through her production of the outfits.

“I feel like the fashion industry right now is all about ‘what are the celebrities wearing’ and ‘oh my gosh’ and it’s so annoying,” says Merino. “I want to change it and make it so everyone is doing their own thing.” Merino plans on a career in fashion in the future, and has already filled her closet and walls with her own creations.

While Merino loves her own outfits, she does not want others to wear her designs. She says, “It’s weird because I want to be a fashion designer, but I don’t want people to wear my clothes because I’m different.”

Although Merino recognizes others may believe her outfits to be a bit out there, she says, “For me, how I dress is normal.” Merino tries not to repeat outfits, and she often creates an outfit the night before she wears it.

Many will be surprised to know that Merino actually wears regular pajamas, a stark contrast to her daily attire. Merino buys the fabric for her outfits everywhere she can, always on the lookout for little details, such as piano earrings for her piano-themed outfit.

So, next time you see a flash of color walking through the halls, take a closer look: the outfits you see may be walking down runways sooner than you think.