In grade 10, I first became interested in fashion. I would constantly sketch different design concepts in science and math class, never truly anticipating that it would become a career. I was enrolled in a textiles course, but I never really paid attention to it. My dream was to become a fashion designer, but I didn't think I was cut out for the job. I was really inspired and filled with hope when I learned about Propel towards the end of grade 10 and witnessed some of the fashion students' success stories. I immediately signed up after learning about it, and ever since then, I've practiced sewing practically daily, looked into numerous designers, and followed their creative processes.

Two of the designers particularly stood out to me. Thierry Mugler and Rick Owens. I desired to be like them. Their designs were incredibly unique and unconventional. Many of my designs were influenced by Rick Owens, especially this one that I had originally sketched. It's these cargo pants that have all these different pockets, patches, and belts. It was one of my favorite designs that I came up with, and I was curious to see how it would appear in real life. I had a worn-out pair of baggy, black cargo pants, a collection of old belts, and, torn-out pockets from different pieces of clothing. I positioned the pockets randomly where I thought they would look good. I cut the belts in half and sewed them to different spots on the pants.

The next day, I was sitting in my textiles class and my sewing teacher began talking about a potential fashion show that we might have at the end of the semester. I was so excited that I began thinking about the designs I wanted to display. The show was open to anyone, so the pressure was on. I made the decision that I wanted to show off my cargo pants, so I modified them by adding more components and cleaning them up a bit. When the big day arrived, the theatre began to fill up with people from my school and some I hadn't seen before. I started to worry that people might not like my designs and find them weird, particularly the cargos. The opposite thing happened; as soon as my model stepped out in the pants, everyone went crazy. There was so much cheering that you couldn't hear the music. People's reactions surprised me. Even after the event, there was still some applause, and I had several people approach me and ask if I sold these and where they could get a pair. So, when I arrived at Propel, that's what inspired me to start working on these cargos initially, because I already had people interested in purchasing these pants. I knew I wanted my project to be a fashion brand, but I didn't know where to begin because I had so many designs. I had all the ideas but Propel allowed me the time to execute what I had been wanting to do for so long. I had the idea to make these pants out of recycled material. Since the cargos and all of the patches and buckles I used on the original pair were thrifted, I figured why not thrift all of the parts I'd need to make the pants? That way, I'm repurposing materials and making garments that are both fashionable and environmentally friendly. That's when the name "Patch N' Buckle Cargo Pants" came to me. I also opted to make them unisex since I want to instill a sense of exclusivity and belonging in my consumer base. These Cargos are for those who don't mind standing out from the crowd, expressing their originality, and thinking outside the box.

Propel has taught me so much. I learned how to sew pants from scratch, how to market and advertise, and how to use software like Photoshop and Lightroom. I mostly taught myself these things, although Mr. Hansen was a huge help with a lot of them. I hope to turn this passion into a career, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds for me. Finally, I'd like to thank my sewing teacher, Mr. Bokhari, for believing in me and teaching me everything I know, as well as my best friends, models, and creative directors Gloria Jaison and Nicholas Lee, without them, my brand would not be what it is today.

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