By Suzette Lovely, ED.D. Superintendent Carlsbad Unified School District

How did a 15-year-old Carlsbad High School student find herself placing as a finalist in the Project Runway Junior competition and then showing off her designs at New York’s Fashion Week?

Peytie Slater was born to design clothing. As a little girl, she made clothes for her dolls. Soon she was designing and making her own clothes. She always loved wearing something new to school and being able to say, “I made this last night.”

At Carlsbad High School, she took a Fashion Design class as a freshman with Mrs. Becker.  Mostly self-taught, Peytie already knew how to sew and was able to pick up new ideas and techniques in class. With her Industrial Consew machine she began to design, construct, and sell swimsuits and beachwear.

And, then, along came the Project Runway Junior television show. “A year ago I was waiting for a call,” she remembers. “When it came I couldn’t believe it. I packed a month’s worth of clothes, stuffed my board bag with things I thought I would need, and I made it to the Paper Factory Hotel in Queens.”

At first, she feared that the competition among the young designers would be fierce. But, from her first meeting with the group on the rooftop deck overlooking the spectacular New York skyline, she realized that they would all become friends. They bonded right from the beginning.  “I miss my Project Runway friends so much,” Peytie says. “We got so close. It was so hard when someone left.”

The experience was intense, stressful, and exciting. Every day was a new adventure and a new opportunity to learn. Peytie says she learned the most from the show’s co-star, designer Tim Gunn.  “He was kind, humble, and treated us like adults. He saved me so many times, especially in the 60’s team challenge. In the Seventeen Magazine challenge he took a look at the pants I was making and said, ‘Scrap these.’ He was right.”

Peytie won the Lands’ End Challenge. As the winner, she was selected to design the “Kids Global Classmate Backpack.” Her backpack then was produced and marketed by Lands’ End to support Michelle Obama’s “Let Girls Learn” Initiative.

“My goal was to make the finals,” Peytie said, “where you get to show who you are.” As a finalist, Peytie had the opportunity to design and show her line at New York Fashion Week. “I learned so much from this amazing Project Runway experience — working with so many talented designers. My design approach has evolved completely. I was a beachy, boho person, but now I’m a culturally inspired designer. The judges select the styles they like — but, in the end, like it or not, I am going to stick with me.”

Besides design, Peytie’s other love is surfing. She lives steps from the ocean in Carlsbad and has made a name for herself as a competitive surfer. Carlsbad High School’s Surf Team is the 2016 National Scholastic Surfing Association Interscholastic State Champ, and Peytie placed fourth in the state in her individual competition. “I brought my board to New York, but I only got to surf one time,” she says. “The waves were small, but it was great to get out into the water.”

Peytie has traveled extensively with her family, including the Maldives, Fiji, Mexico, and Hawaii.  Her travels often inspire her designs.

Currently, Peytie is working on two clothing lines: her own line, called True Violette; and, with young yoga instructor Jaysea De Voe, a yoga/lifestyle line for Sea Vibes in Encinitas. She loves visiting Mood Fabrics in Los Angeles to find just the right fabrics for her designs.

And she is a serious student. She takes honors classes, online Chinese — and, of course, surfing. As she explains, “You need a back-up plan.”