It was my first time in DC and wow ! I feel so lucky to have been able to visit this amazing city… thanks to Prudential and NASSP !

But even more incredible was meeting the other 101 state recipients of the award. It was amazing to be with so many kids who are all so passionate about helping others. Spending time with everyone and sharing stories and ideas has inspired me to do MORE!!!

I hope that I will be able to continue to inspire others to “follow your dreams” and to continue to design, sew and donate dresses for more and more girls at hospitals and shelters.

The “MORE” part is to begin to teach underprivileged children how to sew so that more and more children can make their own dresses because

“every little girl deserves a dress” !

It was my 13 th birthday, I went to Washington DC to receive the Pridential Spirit of Community Award and now,

“Confessions of a Fashionette” is airing in Italy !!!

E! ENTERTAINMENT DI MAGGIO 2012

La Redazione

E! Special: confessions of a fashionette” dedicato a Cecilia Cassini, la più giovane fashion designer del mondo.  quinta stagione

E! Special: Confessions of a Fashionette (30 min.) – 14 maggio ore 21.00

Il suo idolo è Coco Chanel, legge “Vogue”, ama “Il Diavolo veste Prada”, ha creato una linea di abiti di successo, ha vestito celebrità come Miley Cyrus e Heidi Klum, è apparsa sulle riviste di tutta l’America…ed ha solo 12 anni. E! Entertainment segue la vita di CECILIA CASSINI: la più giovane stilista del mondo. 
Attualmente dodicenne, l’italo-americana Cecilia a soli dieci anni aveva già fatto il grande salto dopo essere stata notata da importanti personaggi del jet set ed aver creato diversi abiti per i loro figli. 
Una vera enfant prodige che E! racconterà in un E! Special di mezz’ora, lunedì 14 maggio alle 21:00.

xoxo ciao Cecilia

As you know, I have been spending time with children at schools, hospitals and shelters to tell them my story and to hopefully inspire them to begin following their dreams !

The first time I ever visited with children was when I was eight years old . I wanted to give some girls at a homeless shelter new “back to school” dresses “because every little girl deserves a dress.” mostly when you go back to school the first day.  I knew it was important “to give back” and this was something I could do to help people not as lucky as me!

That first visit with girls at Los Angeles Family Housing was the moment I realized that “giving back” was natural to me. It touched my heart in a way that is difficult to describe: It was just something that I wanted to do more of… I have done years of “giving back” and never imagined I would receive a National award for doing what just feel right to me !

Cecilia visiting a school in Los Angeles to inpire children to "follow their dreams"Cecilia at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles giving dresses to cancer patients

Cecilia at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles giving dresses to cancer patients

Here is the announcement:

“Follow Your Dreams”

Cecilia Cassini, 7th grader student, was recently selected as California’s top Middle Level youth volunteer in the 2012 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. This award is not only one of the most prestigious service awards in the country, but it also represents the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. More than 5,000 students applied, and an independent judging panel selected the State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria including personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth. Although the winners have each volunteered hundreds of hours, the number of hours is not one of the criteria.

Cecilia has spoken to hundreds of children at schools, hospitals, and shelters to encourage them to find their passions and follow their dreams. She speaks to the children about her own passion, designing and sewing. Cecilia donates dresses she creates to homeless shelters and sells others to raise money for a local children’s hospital.

Cecilia began decorating dresses when she was just three-years-old and, when she received a sewing machine on her sixth birthday, taught herself to sew. At age eight, she decided to sew dresses for little girls at a homeless center because, she said, “every little girl deserves a dress.” Two years later, the owner of “Tough Cookies,” a Sherman Oaks clothing boutique agreed to host a trunk sale featuring Cecilia’s creations. Fifty dresses were sold, and the proceeds were donated to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. The success of this sale “confirmed to me that I did not have to wait to become an adult to follow my dreams” and sparked a desire to communicate this message to other young people, Cecilia said. In what she calls her “Follow Your Dreams” campaign, Cecilia has made presentations to more than 200 students, demonstrating sewing techniques and encouraging students to find and pursue their passions. She also delivers a sewing machine to each school she visits, donated by the Singer Sewing Company.

At an assembly at Sierra Canyon School, Cecilia will be presented with an engraved medallion by a representative from Prudential. She is also going to represent California Middle School students during an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. in May for a week of special national recognition events. At that time, she will receive a $1,000 award and be considered for the five national awards for Middle School students (including $5,000 for each student to use in his/her volunteer work.) Five national awards will also be given to High School students.

In one of her application essays, Cecilia wrote that she hoped that she was “a voice for telling my peers that there is not a minimum age to begin following their dreams.” Her inspiring story certainly epitomizes that dreams can come true—at any age—as well as the joy in using one’s talent to help others. We are incredibly proud of Cecilia and congratulate her on this tremendous and noteworthy honor.

I am proud to have received this award and I hope I have inspired you: I hope that all of you will consider finding a way “to give back!” and of course,

follow your dreams !!!

xo Cecilia

don’t forget to watch Cecilia Cassini’s #reality tv premiere “Confessions of a Fashionette” Feb. 14 #STYLE networkhttp://twurl.nl/p7sooj

A fun twist on Madame Alexander’s Favorite Friends, the fashion prodigy Cecilia Cassini brings another lovely creation to this fun and youthful line!

Straight from the mind of a talented 12 year old, Cecilia Cassini has brought another astonishingly created Favorite Friend to Madame’s Dollhouse. Beginning her designing career at age 10, Cecilia has taken the world by storm with her fun and fashionable original designs. An old soul in a young girl, Cecilia notes Coco Chanel as one of her greatest influences and even reads Vogue in her spare time. Cecilia has found fame with her dresses which are sold all over the country! Quite an accomplishment for someone who is only 12!

Out On The Town is Cecilia’s take on one of Madame Alexander’s fun and fresh Favorite Friends dolls. Standing 18 inches tall Out On The Town has a gorgeous head full of long blonde hair that can be styled for hours. Tonight she has it pulled into a high ponytail and her banks peek out under a sweet black headband with a large leopard print bow. Her bow is just the beginning of the animal print fun. Her dress is a dream in matching leopard print. This sweet and flirty dress is a fun twist on a cocktail dress giving it a youthful feel! Over her dress she wears a hot pink faux fur shawl to keep her warm on those chilly evenings. Not to be left without a twist her shawl is lined in the same fun leopard print as her dress and headband!

She accessorizes her outfit with a beautiful pink taffeta writstlet purse with a gold wristband to easily carry those necessities she’ll need for a night on the town.  A pair of black flats finish her outfit in perfect classic style giving her everything she needs for a time she’ll never forget!

A youthful, but certainly fashionable, take on one of Madame Alexander’s Favorite Friends, Out On The Town is a doll that stands out with her lovely design and youthful touch! She’s undoubtedly just as one of a kind as her designer!

http://www.madamealexander.com/product/459420/65165/_/Favorite_Friends_-_Out_On_the_Town_By_Cecilia_Cassini_18%22_Play_Doll

www.madamealexander.com

On Monday, I received an AWARD for my “Follow Your Dreams” community service activity

and

On Tuesday, I completed DETENTION for being tardy to class and out of dress code !!!

Yes, MOI !!!! I have been known to get distracted by my friends’ “really important stories” or my locker getting “stuck” and so I have been tardy to class. And yes, MOI !!!! I have been known to wear leggings (or jeggings) instead of pants to school and so I have been out of “dress code”… so I had to do DETENTION as a punishment for those sins !!!

Good thing on Monday I was “ON TIME” and “IN DRESS CODE” because

a man from Prudential came to our assembly to present me with my silver medallion for the

Prudential Spirit of Community Award that I will be officially receiving in Washington, D.C. on May 6th.

I hope you find something that makes you want to get involved and give back !!!

xo cecilia

As I always say, “you don’t have to wait until you are an adult to begin following your dreams!”

Michelle, the little girl on the left, wrote me a letter that really touched me:

She said, “Thank you for telling us to follow our dreams. I am doing that. I don’t care if anyone thinks I’m too young to be a pediatrician. I am going to follow my dream and not give up. Thank you, Cecilia.”

BTW : Notice how fashionable she is, too ! One knee sock pulled up high with her furry boots and short skirt!

here is a pic of Michelle and her friend inspired by scraps of fabric – as you can see, Michelle used the fabric to create a “bed for the baby”

see, you can do anything! just DREAM !

So, … no matter what your dreams are: DON’T GIVE UP !

START TODAY !

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS !

xo cecilia

kids at ICEF Vista Academy

Art Class does not always have to be learning about color, lines or landscapes

The 4th grade teachers at

ICEF Vista Academy invited me to visit with their students during what was supposed to be their “art” time.

After talking to them about following their dreams, it was so much fun to see them being so creative with the fabric I brought for them !

The students saw how they could create so many different things with just a little piece of fabric!

I can’t wait to see what they create with the Singer sewing machine I gave them !

Now that’s what I call “ART CLASS”

you can order yours by sending me an email to

www.ceciliacassini.com

list of stores coming soon !!!

“CONFESSIONS OF A FASHIONETTE”

today on the style network – 12:30 pt / 3:30 et

then email me your order for the “Hummingbird” top