An Auburn University student with roots in Birmingham is receiving national attention after being featured by Vogue as part of the magazine’s American Style series.

Chelsi Banks, 19, was selected as one of 50 young people from across the country highlighted by Vogue for their unique perspectives on personal style and fashion. The profile traces Banks’ journey from fashion-obsessed teenager in Alabama to aspiring magazine editor and fashion writer.

For Banks, that journey began long before her Vogue feature.

Growing up in Birmingham and later attending Hewitt-Trussville High School, Banks developed an early fascination with fashion. By age 13, she was participating in online fashion communities, studying runway shows and learning the history of luxury brands.

“I would get in and I would take over. I’d be like, ‘Okay, now we’re going to get serious,'” Banks told Vogue of the online modeling group chats she once moderated.

Her interest in fashion only grew as she got older. While in high school, Banks founded a fashion club that eventually attracted about 25 members and became known among classmates for documenting her daily outfits on social media.

Banks told Vogue that she often stood out at school because of her fashion choices, but she remained committed to developing her own sense of style.

We asked her what it felt like the moment she learned she would be featured in Vogue. “It was truly so surreal,” she said. “I applied just for fun and I didn’t think I would win at all so to have this much recognition means so much to me. Fashion has always been such an integral part of my identity and to have this accomplishment makes me feel so confident in my abilities.”

Today, Banks is studying apparel merchandising and journalism at Auburn University while working toward becoming editor-in-chief of Swatch, the university’s student-run fashion magazine.

Although she considered attending fashion schools such as Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, Banks ultimately chose Auburn, telling Vogue that the in-state university offered a more affordable path toward her goals.

Her Vogue profile also highlights the influence of her mother, Theresa Banks, a U.S. Army veteran who taught her how to sew.

Now, the Alabama native is gaining recognition from one of fashion’s most influential publications—and is looking forward to continuing the journey.

“I’m so excited to continue pursuing a career in the fashion industry,” she told us.

The Vogue profile is part of the magazine’s American Style project, which spotlights young creatives from across the country who are helping shape conversations around fashion, identity and personal style.