Overall, New York Fashion Week was an incredible experience that I will truly never forget. I’d love to be able to go again and see even more designers. My goal for next year though— network my way to the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s exclusive runway shows.

And so I remain fervently infatuated with the Council for Fashion Designers of America’s official Fashion Week and deeply enchanted by its mystique. I guess you can say it’s a bit of a toxic romance — one-sided, with one party granting the other not even a minute of their time.

In a world that frequently forces women to compete, Boston University and the American Institute of Graphic Art are pushing for collaboration and cooperation. Erin Robertson, winner of Season 15...