From playing dress-up as a child to sketching fashion designs as a freshman at Terrell High School, Aniyah Gladney has always known who she wanted to be - a fashion designer.
A lifelong Terrell ISD student, the 14-year-old freshman is the oldest of four siblings and credits her family as her biggest inspiration and support system. “They love when I make things for them,” she said.
Aniyah’s love for fashion began early. By age seven, she wanted to be a fashion designer, and by nine she was sewing tote bags and scrunchies. During COVID, she made masks, Barbie clothes, and other handmade items. Today, she still hand-sews everything—including pillows and doll clothes for her younger sister. Her favorite creation is a flower pillow she made for her mom. “I loved seeing my mom’s face when I gave it to her,” she said.
Now enrolled in Terrell High School’s new Fashion Design program, Aniyah was thrilled to join as a freshman. “I was so excited when I found out about it in eighth grade,” she said. In the Intro to Fashion Design class, she is learning art fundamentals, fashion vocabulary, and the history of design, studying trends across 150 years and creating sketches to represent each decade.
Though naturally shy, Aniyah sees fashion as a way to express herself. “It’s a way to show your uniqueness,” she said. She credits her teacher, Ms. Moody, for helping her rediscover her love for sewing. “She truly wants the best for her students and supports our creativity.”
Outside the classroom, Aniyah is also a young entrepreneur. Since 2022, she has owned a faith-based small business, Just Craftin With Ya, designing t-shirts and jewelry and participating in local pop-up events and markets.
In addition to fashion, Aniyah is a Dual Credit student taking college-level classes through Trinity Valley Community College. By the end of her freshman year, she will have completed 12 college credit hours, with a goal of earning her associate degree before graduating high school.
Aniyah dreams of attending Baylor University to study Fashion Design and Business. For now, she’s focused on learning, creating, and stitching together a future built on passion, faith, and creativity.