10/18/2021
Hello everyone! We are starting feature stories on individuals unique fashion experiences. I hope your enjoy this series called
I grew up in a big family of 6 boys and 4 girls, so as one can imagine, I was used to accepting hand me downs, gladly. I never thought about clothes in my youth, except when choosing colours of my sport jerseys.
When I was in grade 12, I was approached by a modelling agency on the street in Kingston, my hometown. I felt flattered, but never called them back. But it planted a seed, even though I didn’t know it then.
My major in college was web design, and it’s also in college when I started to care about clothes. Looking back, I think it was because I needed a creative outlet amid the routine life of a STEM student. I grew from learning how to put together outfits on Reddit, to taking classes to become a model. I learned how to take care of myself to look my best and modelled for about a year. Modelling is exhilarating and eye opening. I was fascinated by higher concepts in fashion and later quit my studies towards a degree in computer engineering and joined Richard Robinson Fashion Academy to become a fashion designer.
One thing I learned is that dressing well not only makes you feel good, but it also goes a long way to open doors and get you a better quality of life. You are treated better at restaurants, in retail or in the office, when you are dressed well! I remember feeling my very best ever and 100% confident, when I was dressed in my favourite suit at Richard Robinson’s graduation ceremony. It is an indescribable feeling that I think that one would be remiss not experiencing it.
Today I work as a software developer because there are practically no entry level jobs in fashion design in Ottawa due to the pandemic. But clothes continue to be a creative outlet, and they help me be more aware of how I’m feeling and what I’m doing everyday.
