The delicate sound of Abby Dubois’ pencil on paper pervades the silent room like softly falling raindrops.
Slowly an elegant head and neck appear on the paper, followed by a torso, arms and legs. Her pencil pauses for an instant, and then continues. Finally, fantastical clothes cover the figure.

Almost always sketching, Paly sophomore Dubois is only one of countless girls whose lifelong dream is to become a fashion designer.

“I have been playing dress up since I was a little kid, and I started enjoying drawing and sewing, and the pieces kind of just fit together,” Dubois said.

Over the summer she took a course in fashion design, and learned various techniques. Aside from sewing, Dubois learned textile arts such as silk screening and cross-stitching, which she enjoyed immensely. In the future, Dubois hopes to move to New York City to explore her career options. “Because there is so much to do there and [it is] a great place to launch a fashion career,” Dubois said.

“Abby’s so unique and creative, I’m sure that she’ll be a big-time fashion designer someday,” said Sarah Flamm, a fellow Paly student and also Dubois’ neighbor.

Before Dubois arrived in Palo Alto she lived in New Jersey, her birthplace, and later in Virginia until she was 11. Two years ago she attended the Jewish Day School. Now a sophomore, Dubois is enrolled in “Living Skills” and “Spanish,” aside from the normal requirements.

Dubois says she has always loved to paint and draw. She has taken art classes on the East Coast and with the Pacific Arts League; however, she has yet to enroll in one here at Paly. Recently, she has pursued three-dimensional art forms, such as glass blowing. Dubois says that she enjoys this greatly, but her foremost love is fashion. In the majority of her paintings she portrays people and cutting edge clothes. She has yet to actually create patterns from her designs, although she hopes to take a class in that area soon.

“I’m obsessive about matching,” Dubois said.

Not only is Dubois fond of designing clothes, she loves buying them. To relay her fervor for purchasing clothes, Dubois recalls a day when she and her friends went shopping and unexpectedly it began to rain. Hastily they slung their bags, chock full of vintage clothes, over their shoulders. Determined, they continued shopping. “It was fun and exhilarating,” Dubois said. “But I got a terrible cold the next day.”

Dubois also loves playing her harp. When she was in fifth grade she attended an orchestra concert where a harpist was performing. Intrigued, Dubois did some research and learned to play. She says that it caught her imagination because the harp was “so different from everyday.” In the past she has played the piano as well, however, is presently only practicing the harp.

With a flourish, Dubois finishes her sketch. Lying across the page is a delicately drawn and meticulously colored masterpiece. Anticipating the final garment, she picks up the drawing, scattering colored pencils, charcoal and erasers, and strides off in the direction of her sewing machine and pile of fabric.