Fashion Portfolio

ALO was my first real shot — I was still a student at FIDM when I got the job, and it felt like I was stepping into something way bigger than me. Balancing classes and working for a brand like ALO wasn’t easy, but it shaped everything I know about fashion, teamwork, and building something meaningful.

I joined right as things were shifting. COVID changed the game, and ALO was evolving fast — from a small office in East LA to a full-blown HQ in Beverly Hills. I was there for all of it. And through it, I learned what it really takes to bring an idea to life.

I got to work with every part of the brand — from designing collections and building out concepts, to teaming up with production to make sure it came out right. I worked with the tech team to perfect fit and feel, collaborated with marketing to get the shot that told the story, and connected with the retail team to learn what customers were actually asking for. Every department, every piece, every detail — it was all hands on deck, and that’s what made it special.

ALO taught me how to be a team player, a problem-solver, and a designer who sees the bigger picture. That experience means everything to me — and I’ll always carry it with me in the way I create today.

After ALO, Cuts was the next chapter — and it felt like a big one. I went from being an associate designer to stepping into the role of head designer. That kind of leap doesn’t come without pressure, but I was hungry for it. I wanted to lead. I wanted to help shape something from the ground up.

Cuts was still carving out its identity in the fashion world, and being part of that process — building out both the men's and women's collections — taught me a lot about trust, vision, and direction. At a fast-moving brand like that, you realize real quick that you need a plan. Otherwise, it’s like saying “Jesus, take the wheel” and hoping you don’t crash.

After Cuts, I needed a reset — a chance to step back, breathe, and figure out what I wanted to create on my own terms. That’s when NAV-C, Not an Average Citizen, was born. It wasn’t just another brand to me; it was my first real opportunity to think outside the box and design something the world hadn’t seen before.

I took a year off to pour everything into NAV-C. It became my crash course in the business of fashion. I learned the ins and outs of building a brand from scratch — from designing collections to planning photoshoots, from running social campaigns to designing and coding the website myself. Every piece of the process sharpened my perspective, giving me a deeper understanding of what it takes to make a brand not just look good, but feel alive.

NAV-C was about more than clothing; it was about creating a movement. It challenged me to be resourceful, visionary, and relentless. It taught me that building something new takes both imagination and discipline — and it gave me the confidence to keep pushing boundaries in fashion and beyond.