Melody Ya Jun Lin, a recent Parsons graduate, is inspired by just about everything. This is made apparent by the fact that one of Lin’s recent collections was inspired by an orange (yes, the fruit), and her thesis, or the project that would catapult her work into the big world of fashion, by white noise and sound waves.

“I just got inspired by a band-aid yesterday,” Lin said.

For the Parsons grad, taking the tangible and transforming it seems to come easy, and for someone whose designs are already being worn by the likes of Rihanna, it’s obvious that her talent will not go unnoticed or under the radar.

Lin was born in China, but moved when she was young and spent the majority of her childhood between Vancouver and Los Angeles. While attending high school in L.A., an art teacher recognized her potential and encouraged her to apply to Parsons.

“I always knew I was going towards a creative field,” Lin said, though she wasn’t sure that fashion design would be what clicked.

At the end of her time at Parsons, Lin’s senior thesis landed her as a finalist in a competition with Kering and Vogue, warranting her collection to be featured on the site.

Lin’s collection is made up of five complete looks which are entirely black and white and offer a variety of form from down jackets to fitted skirts.

“My computer crashed and the screen on my computer was distorted and I thought those images were very interesting,” Lin said. “When I was inspired by that, I tossed everything that I was working on and kind of restarted.”

One of the members on the panel that chose Lin as the winner was Mel Ottenberg, Rihanna’s very own stylist.

Right after she won, a statement posted to Vogue explained just how much Ottenberg liked her black quilted puffer jacket from her thesis collection. 

“I talked to him during the panel a little bit and it seemed like he really liked it, and I was really honored.” Lin said.

Then the unthinkable happened to Lin. Ottenberg sent her an e-mail explaining he’d like to borrow the jacket for Rihanna to possibly wear at the VMAs.

“I was in shock,” Lin said. “I feel like the people that see my work respond pretty extremely. Either they really like it or they kind of hate it.”

Lin doesn’t seem to mind either way.

“I’m not targeting the young people or the old people,” she said. “I’m just putting it out there.”

Her advice to current Parsons students?

“Be open to everything.”

To see more of her work, check out Lin’s Instagram.