I thought I would attend school and get an assistant position and work my way up but being in NY and seeing the pace of everything, is very inspiring.

You know, when you go to high school or, you know, when kids are younger and there's not an understanding of differences. But I built up a very strong, thick skin.

I'm not like most designers, who have to set sail on an exotic getaway to get inspired. Most of the time, it's on my walk to work, or sitting in the subway and seeing something random or out of context.

I feel so thankful that I'm able to be a part of something that I love to wake up and run to work every day.

The great thing is that young talent isn't tied to a how-to model for starting a line; we get to find new ways to go about doing things. And don't let people tell you you can't. Go find a way to show that you can.

A lot of my work is a matter of reacting to surprises in life.