As a child my jacket always meant a lot to me.

For years I had a bright orange hand me down bubble coat that was visibly worn, that was never my style(I always liked all black). When I started to work for my own money I took advantage of my funds and used them on a variety of cool jackets, I had many by different designers, in different materials, and for different occasions. Later when my desire for having the coolest jacket took me down a path that no designer could satiate, I turned down other avenues and realized I had to create my outerwear by myself. When I had later understood that at the time(2015) I wasn't yet skilled enough to create my own jacket I walked around the coolest neighborhoods I could think of at the time; LES and Soho and asked every store somehow related to clothing from dry cleaners to streetwear shops to laundromats if they knew a place that could make one off samples. Eventually I encountered Rene's tailors. For a very fair price Rene and I would work together as he would sew my dreams into a reality. The biggest issue was I only spoke english, and Rene only spoke Spanish. Many problems had to be solved here, at the time I didn't have a phone so there was no access to google translate but the language barrier was quickly dissolved as we both communicated by drawing. One day, disaster struck and Rene had his store taken from him, due to the difference in languages I never found out why. At this time I would go from my house in Gowanus all the way to his along Grand Concourse and collaborate on garments with him while I watched him create them. Here is where I learned to appreciate something that was made by hand, this is what made me take drawing more seriously and develop the skill, this is what set off the urge to learn Spanish. Now that I am moderately proficient in Spanish I will ensure I become fully proficient in the language as my time with Rene taught me the significance of communication and that being able to communicate your ideas is a privelage. As you review the jackets in that portfolio please bare in mind the hours I had to put in before I even had a chance to sit down in front of a sewing machine, let alone the time spent making the jacket. The products you see below are a result of pursuing my curiosities.

  • Latex, Leather, Gore-tex, Mesh, Hiking Jacket.

  • Zip pocket, logo on chest, gunmetal two way zippers.

  • Large back pocket that span body of jacket, Yellow zipper cover and graphic based off a tattoo I have which represents my love for the rain. Adjustable cording on hood and waist

  • Mesh lined body, technical construction, many complimentary colors, leather back to protect from wind.

  • Zip gussets for breathability, a staple of mine is providing a look inside my pieces at the inner construction, this jacket offer that opportunity.

  • Suede lined hood with motif on chest.

  • Shell Jacket Bag

  • Functional waterproof lining with inner pockets.

  • Neck and face cover collar with adjustable hood and waist. zip open gussets for breathability.

  • Collaboration with the Graffiti artist Skam

  • Inside zipper for functionality, zipper pockets for safety.

  • Back hood

  • Adjustable corded waist, zip gussets for breathability. Jacket is water repellent.

Water repellent Latex Rain Jacket

At the time of making this jacket I had been expanding on my new found love for creating sneakers. This inspired me to borrow materials I had been using for my footwear designs and apply them to outerwear. I had also been selling waterproof tote bags for graffiti writers and naturally became interested in shell jackets and decided to cross my shell jacket idea with the design elements from a sneaker. Right before sewing this jacket and cutting the pattern I got a tattoo I loved so much I chose to emblazon it on the front and back of the jacket as it fits the theme. One last thing I noticed about most of the footwear I like was the lack of matching colors and emphasis on complementary colors. I decided to be subtle with the footwear inspired elements of this jacket and keep them on the inside. The jacket is line with multiple colors of neoprene mesh, much like you would see and many sneakers. I’ve also included a large patch of leather in key locations of the lining to protect the wearer from the wind. As an ode to traditional rain jacket I included a yellow strip of latex on the back that also acts as a zipper guard as a large zipper opens up on the back allowing the wearer to access the lining and use the jacket as a backpack as well.

Shell / rain jackets

Shell jacket bag, this jacket folds up into a tote style sling bag

After studying shell jackets for months and carefully learning how to make a complicated pattern for my ideal highly functional jacket, I succeeded. While the jacket is minimal it is also highly detailed and made with consideration for wet climates. It has gore-tex water repellent fabric with additional water-repellent lining. The Jackets features allow it to unzip and reconfigure into a sling bag.

Rain jacket collaboration with the Graffiti Artist, Skam

Top stitching pockets
in progress photos, outside layer

Following the pattern I used for previous shell jackets, graffiti artist “Skam” and I teamed up to use his logo mixed with my jacket to make a small run of waterproof shell jackets both with and without lining. Skam is an artist whose latest work includes an artist sculpture in collaboration with Concepts NYC. This jacket is rooted in the world of graffiti being tied in with Hip Hop inspiring North face and Arcteryx jackets. This shell has elements of both brands jackets with a dead on the nail reference to Hip Hop.

We painted a warehouse our friend rented and later converted into a haunted house for Halloween. The colors we selected for the haunted house are an excellent match for the colors of the jacket.

  • Reversible Parachute Jacket

  • Turquoise satin with red stitching and gun metal zipper accents.

  • Green button chest pocket details, both elements of a trucker and bomber jacket.

  • Perfect red stitching

  • Brown reverse side with similar details and snakeskin patches.

  • Reverse side features

  • Unzippable waist with view of inside. elastic inside waistband.

  • I like to include an inside view of my pieces as a way to show my work

  • Jacket turns inside out and can be worn sling bag style.

  • Suede, mesh, sherpa trucker jacket. One of the cleanest and most well sewn pieces I’ve made. Here we have a suede trucker style jacket with sherpa details on the cuffs and collar. This was meant to be a slim fitting fall jacket. I’ve also incorporated a mesh liner as opposed to something like satin as this isn’t meant to be a winter jacket and should be more breathable and less sweaty.

  • Mesh lining

  • Animal print wool jacket. Suede lined, sherpa collar.

  • Suede lining, two inside pockets, two way zipper.

  • Metallic details for hanging.

  • Water repellent down jacket.

  • Velour nosferatu patch on back. Silver accents

  • Red velour lining

  • 4 front pockets

  • Translucent jacket made from a shower curtain

  • Back view

Reversible Satin Jacket

This jacket blends elements of a traditional trucker jacket, nylon warmup jacket, and a bomber. In creating this piece I wanted to fuse the core elements of multiple styles while still making something original. Here I’ve used a two-faced nylon that mimics classic sportswear garments from the 90s. I’ve also borrowed elements typically seen on a trucker jacket such as the contrasting stitching and the pattern I made it from. Lastly this jacket contains details you would normally see on a bomber, the shoulder pocket, style of waistband, and zipper close. I chose to highlight the jacket with zippers and make it reversible, I love jackets with hidden details and this is one of them. You can also unzip the jacket from the inner waistband and completely flip it inside out as a way to showing the consumer how the product is made.

Leopard print wool winter jacket

Stuck between my inspiration from menswear and streetwear, I’ve found myself making crossover pieces. Here I have what could be a classy mens wool jacket maybe minus the leopard print but I’ve chosen the wool leopard as it speaks to my “in between state”. This jacket is fully lined with suede and has sherpa accents. I’ve included gun metal zippers, and accents for hanging the jacket on the back and front breast.

Nosferatu Puffer

Inspired by one of my favorite movies, I made a down puffer coat inspired by Nosferatu, which had become public domain at the time of making this. In making this piece I loosely considered what elements may appeal to a fashionable vampire.

  • Roughly 8 different fabrics and prints here.

  • Various animal print fabrics and pieces cut apart and put together frankenstein style.

  • Closed Jacket

  • Small details, fur lined breast

  • A second jacket with the same materials

  • This jacket has four breast flaps and two front closures.

  • Second closure zipped

  • Moto Jacket made from a wedding dress.

  • Panels zipped closed.

  • Back view with bow from dress.

  • Velvet reversible moto jacket

  • Zipped up view

  • Back view

  • Pink snakeskin motojacket

  • Reversible of course with leopard details

  • Back view

Ryder Jackets

A truly timeless silhouette

After experimenting with my leopard print motorcycle jackets I thought I would take the experimentation further. I took apart a wedding dress I purchased on ebay for only $70 and reworked the fabric to give it new life. Aesthetically I maintained the traditional elements of the dress and integrated them into this jacket such as the bow on the back or the lace that is prominent throughout. Conceptually I am obsessed with the idea of not accepting unexpected outcomes as “mistakes” but rather opportunities to enhance your initial idea or explore the new possibilities that have arisen as a result of “failure”.I took this dress and gave it new life, repurposing it while also remaining integrious towards the garments original application.

Before making this wedding dress jacket I took apart my old leopard print Ryder and used its pieces as a pattern

Originally my first sample maker Rene had made a leopard print ryder. Years after losing contact with him, I took it apart and added the scrap fabric to the pile of many animal print fabrics I had accrued over time. I made two ryder jackets from various things like tights, sweaters, pants, makeup pouches, other jackets, etc. I refer to one with two closures as the octopus jackets, as instead of two, it has four of the triangular breast panels that make a traditional ryder jacket. When they are all splayed out with sleeves I personally am reminded of an octopus.

  • Patchwork trench coat sewn boro style

  • Corduroy trench cargo coat

  • Yellow lining with yellow pockets, 4 per side.

  • adjustable cuff

  • Hybrid coat inspired by Jun Takahashi. This is an amalgamation of materials and ideas along with a guide for a messenger bag to be woven through.

  • No messenger bag attached

  • Back view

Long Jackets, Trench Coats

Graffiti jacket by Barry Mcgee

You are never the first to do something. Sadly and happily, after making this jacket I had found out that Barry Mcgee or “Twist” had applied the same concept to his favorite winter jacket to make it more suitable for storing cans of spray paint. It’s saddening to find out after the fact that somebody beat me to the punch, but rewarding to have had the same idea of an artist that continues to inspire me. The functionality of this jacket is to ensure your cans of paint don’t freeze in colder climates, and that everything you need is on your body instead of in a bag which can encumber you. I looked at a trench coat as a comedic approach to this fully functional garment/ tool as I had watched this video right before making it, and appreciated the comedy in the great lengths these artists go to, just to put up stickers.

Why let any pieces of fabric go to waste? I covered this trench coat I made with patchwork boro stitching creating something with a story as this was created over the course of a summer incorporating scraps from everything I made that year.

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