My interest in fashion came from my mother. She worked as a patternmaker and designed her own line of accessories. I grew up in a household filled with unique textiles and garments from different cultures so I was exposed to it early.
Being a menswear designer, I appreciate the practicality of athletic wear, but like to incorporate texturally rich pieces as well. That’s one of the reasons I was drawn to Outlier. I was excited by their push to produce performance-driven technical garments, made in the United States. I found in Outlier an exciting company that was genuinely willing to break out of the traditional fashion mold, and for a student fresh out of design school that was very enticing.
I spend a lot of time traveling and working abroad–right now I’m at a trade show in Italy–which has exposed me to different ways of considering design, an imperative in this era of globalization as our world becomes increasingly more connected. I am fortunate to have friends across the world, all with unique points of view, and it’s great to hear what they find aesthetically relevant today. In menswear I found the practicality that I believe is missing from womenswear. The limitations provide an interesting challenge: to create new exciting forms and fabric combinations while still keeping in mind that the garment needs to function properly. This could be anything from depth of pockets to creating a transformative garment that allows wear for a longer time. As incredible moving and inspiring womenswear can be, we are in an era where women are making monumental strides everyday and I think it’s time we design garments worthy of them.