In the center of a crowded Border’s Bookstore, amidst college students dressed down in blue jeans and SF State sweatshirts, Ferdinand Hernandez sits in a clean, crisp, black pin-stripe suit. He’s doing what he does best - standing out.

Since he was in junior high school, the 22-year-old apparel design and merchandising senior has always embraced being different. He hopes to use this characteristic as a tool to separate him from other designers in a future career in the fashion industry.

“I liked being an outcast,” said Hernandez.

As a dancer and designer for the Bay Area dance group Fusion, he likes to make sure their outfits separate them from everyone else in a room full of hundreds of dancers. Even in his product development class, where everyone is a design and merchandising major, he sticks out because he is one of the four men in the entire fashion program.

Growing up, Hernandez always kept an eye out for the latest trends in pop-culture, paying close attention to music videos and award shows. Showcasing his fashion sense throughout the halls of Westmoor High School, he was dubbed a “pretty boy,” but eventually won “best dressed” in his senior class poll. With college graduation just around the corner, he hopes to obtain another title, “wardrobe stylist.”

Hernandez is off to a good start considering that he was once given $100 to buy a complete outfit for a friend, and is usually the first person his friends call when they want to go shopping.

“His opinion really matters to me,” said 19-year-old sophomore Holly Jane Cornell, a merchandising major and journalism minor. “If something is ugly, he’ll say it’s ugly.”

Since they met eight years ago through their older sisters, who are best friends, Hernandez continues to influence Cornell’s life. Cornell, who originally wanted to major in journalism, decided to minor in it instead after seeing Hernandez’s work and realizing her true calling is fashion design. His determination inspires Cornell and she believes this attribute is what has carried him this far in life.

Currently, Hernandez goes to school Monday through Friday, works at Nordstrom five days a week, and dances and designs for Fusion.

When fellow Fusion dancer Neville Bendiola first met Hernandez, he recognized the interest in fashion right away.

“I used to make fun of him because we had a 9 o’clock class together and I’d be dressed like a bum and he’d walk in with a top hat on,” said Bendiola, a 25-year-old Asian American studies senior.

Hernandez designed the group’s most recent wardrobe, which consists of Asian-inspired prints adorning the skirts, hats and ties of the performers. Bendiola likes the way the prints unify all the performers yet still allow them to display their individuality. Hernandez is Fusion’s “go-to” boy when it comes to clothing, said Bendiola.

“My room looks like a sweat shop during competition time,” said Hernandez. “People will sit on the floor pinning clothes together then go, ‘Here Ferdie.’”

Hernandez hates to sew. He admits that he just doesn’t get it sometimes, and falls behind because he is a man in what he sees as a woman's world. While he gets along with his classmates, he doesn’t have anyone to click with and wishes that more emphasis would be placed on men’s clothing.

“Even if the industry is made up of 99 percent women, there’s still that 1 percent left and the curriculum should reflect that,” said Hernandez. “There are a lot of women I know that want to design men’s clothing too.”

Hernandez believes that being a male designer has both its ups and downs. He gets a chance to represent for the men but, on the other hand, he misses the male comradery.

"Friends will tell me about their marketing test or business homework while I tell them I sewed in class today," said Hernandez.

Fortunately, he still has successful male role models like Outkast's rapper/designer Andre3000 to motivate him. He commends Andre3000 for thinking outside of the box and eagerly awaits the launch of his clothing line, Benjamin Andre, set to come out some time next year.

But more importantly, he can’t wait for his own line to come out.

Hernandez wants to design men’s clothing that would reflect his versatile style and meet the needs of other men out there who want to be trendy but still unique and comfortable. Although he appreciates women’s labels like Christian Dior, he feels that there is a need for more male designers in the industry.

“I see him designing with a social responsibility,” said Dr. Connie Ulasewicz, assistant professor of apparel design and merchandising. “He cares about more than just glamour.”

Hernandez agrees, emphasizing that style, quality and fit are more important than a designer label. Ulasewicz, the advisor to the merchandising department, believes that after graduation Hernandez will share his talent by giving back to the world through the realm of designing.

In the meantime, Hernandez daydreams about cutting the ribbon on the opening day of his future clothing store in New York.

“That'll be the day where I can say I've really made it,” said Hernandez.