BEGINNINGS

As you know, I grew up in Atlanta and attended The Lovett School. Obviously, fashion design was not a traditional career path for a Lovett guy and, for that reason, I had to do some swimming against the current. I found a Russian couturiere who had fled the USSR and settled in Atlanta, setting up a small alterations business. After much persuasion, I convinced her to give me lessons in pattern cutting and sewing. I would leave school and drive straight to her studio, spending the next 3-4 hours cutting patterns.

When I received my acceptance letter from Central Saint Martins, I packed my bags and headed to London. My time there was fantastic and I worked tirelessly, consistently earning the highest marks on projects. I spent two summers as the studio intern at Oscar de la Renta and, for six months, the studio intern at TOM FORD. Simultaneously, I spent three years taking tailoring lessons from a Savile Row tailor to complement my CSM training. While working beside Mr. de la Renta was an absolutely incredible experience, my time at TOM FORD and the Savile Row training really helped nurture my fascination with a well-cut jacket.

The culmination of 4 years at CSM is the graduation show. Out of all the students from all the courses (Womenswear, Menswear, Knit, Print, etc.), they choose only the top few to participate in the Saint Martins Press Show—a big honor and the goal of everyone there. I went a bit wild with my collection, deciding to throw caution to the wind and to do something bold, fun, and completely dramatic. Each outfit consisted of dozens of meters of fabric (sponsored by Taroni) and huge hand-blown glass adornments in the style of Chihuly. The colors were bright and the cuts inspired by the ripples and waves of blown glass. In addition to being chosen for the Press Show, I was selected to be the finale.