Rooted in Creativity 

Stephania Bendek ’22 is thriving at Marist University, where she studies fashion design and creates distinctive collections that reflect her creativity. Driven by a passion for sustainability, Stephania integrates natural and recycled materials into her designs. 

Her dream of a career in fashion sparked at a young age when she drew a dress form for an assignment in kindergarten about what she wanted to be when she grew up. That dream stayed with her through her time at Forman and when she began to pursue college fashion programs. With invaluable support she received from Forman’s College Counseling Office and former Promethean Program Director Luke Warren, she is on her way to making that longtime dream a reality. 

“I didn’t have an understanding of what a fashion portfolio really looked like,” she says. “Mr. Warren helped me put together my portfolio in less than a year, and (Associate Director of College Counseling) Ms. (Jennifier) Garton [Strawson] helped me apply to every college I wanted to. She went above and beyond.” 

Before arriving at Forman as a ninth-grader, Stephania had attended 13 schools in search of the right support for her learning difference. 

“I had holes in my education from moving around, trying to find somewhere that would accept me for having dyslexia,” she says. “It was making my dyslexia worse, and my confidence was so shaken up.” 

Forman helped renew her confidence. “I received so much support from my teachers, the Mans (former Head of School Adam K. Man and Beth Man P’15), (Associate Head of School) Ms. (Allie) Maxwell, and everyone in the Forman community.” Her perspective on having dyslexia also shifted; she now sees it as a gift. “I feel very proud to be dyslexic,” she notes. 

Stephania fondly remembers the unique teaching styles at Forman that made learning engaging. One moment that stuck with her was from History and Social Sciences Teacher Scott Brady ’84. “He would walk around the room while teaching,” she says. “One day, I asked him why, and he said, ‘Because it keeps your eyes moving so you stay focused on the lesson.’” 

Outside the classroom, Stephania was involved in theater and played volleyball and tennis. Starring in Mamma Mia! was a highlight of her Forman experience, as was her senior Winterim trip to Hawaii. “That trip is one of my favorite memories of my life. It’s one of those things I will never forget,” she says. 

In 2023, Stephania and her mom, Kathya Bendek P’22, launched Mootts, a handbag brand inspired by the Nahuatl word for “roots.” Together, they design the bags, which are all handcrafted by four women in El Salvador using recycled plastic filaments. “The bag represents love and community,” Stephania says. 

Sustainability is at the heart of everything Stephania creates. In addition to Mootts’ signature bags, her collections at Marist feature repurposed materials, including avocado pits for buttons, plastic produce bags that she mixes with denim, and even a jacket made of vegan leather crafted from clay and muslin scraps. The jacket is fully pliable and was inspired by a clay corset she made at Forman. “There is something about coming back to the earth that I think is so beautiful, and I would never have thought of that until I took ceramics at Forman,” she says. 

This fall, Stephania brings her talents to Carolina Herrera, a world-renowned fashion designer, as a Fabrics Intern, a milestone on her path toward achieving her long-term goals. 

“After graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design and my Merchandising minor, I want to work my way up to having my own private label,” she says. “By the time I’m at least 34, I want to be the Creative Director of LOEWE. That is my dream.” 

She also adds, “I never want to lose the fun.”

This article was originally published in Forman School's Fall 2025 Forman Letter magazine.