First Year work!!!

[mack]

Whats up SZ.
my name is Mackenzie Sam.
About a year back i posted a couple of my pieces that i had made during high school, upon which i used to apply at F.I.T. (fashion institute) menswear program. After getting into the program my experience living in NY has been amazing and i love being here and i am learning a lot with in the program.

Over the past year i have been working alot on pieces for myself and for school.

here is a link to my website that shows some of the pieces i have made during my spare time. Keep in mind the website is still under construction and alot of work still needs to be put into it. (Only the pictures are up at the moment.) (Most of my pieces are in the 2010 section of the fashion link (look for the next arrows).)
i hope you enjoy

https://www.mack-sam.com

i am in the process of finding a model and taking lookbook pictures aswell, if anyone has ideas for the shoot let me know.

Also i recently participated in a fashion show called "fusion" which is a competition between parsons and F.I.T. in which i won best designer and designer's designer award, and i will be posting up pictures soon.

If any of you guys remember my high school stuff from last year, id love to get some feedback on my progress and improvement.

[Enaml]

This is pretty nice. I remember really liking what you put up last year, and was impressed then as well. I think some of the inspiration is evident, but as is being discussed in Zam's thread, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Your website is well done, albeit vague.

[mack]

thanks guys, yes i for sure see the influences of many designers through my work and many of the designers on this forum have sculpted me into who i am to this day. I am still very young so with that being said i guess i am still trying to find the type of designer i am, and my own signature look.

also. there are a couple of pages to look at in the 2010 link, there is a arrow in the corner if you didn't see it the first time

[Sombre]

Hey Mack. Congratulations for doing so well at FIT during your first year; I'm glad you enjoy NY as well. After finding the thread with your previous work (here, if others want to compare), I think your 2010 work is more mature and definitely shows progress. Yes, the influences are evident, but since this is Student Work and not Designers and their Work I won't criticize. Tell us more about the fabrics and the construction please. I'd like to know especially about the hooded parka on page 8 and what seems to be a leather jacket on page 4.

[eat me]

For a first year looks great. Also, your photoshoot might be your chance to differentiate yourself from your inspirations - look at how BBS, Julius, RO and others do their pictures and do something different. Perhaps, avoid the grungy, "isolated in an industrial space" look and go for something else.

[Venus in Furs]

Nice work man. There's a couple pieces I'm definitely interested in.

[Faust]

Good job, and good luck!

[cjbreed]

the evidence of your influences is totally understandable and for a first year i have to say i'm very impressed. well done

now i wonder how long it will take for c'est fini to come in here and call you a loser

[thaiison]

really good work man, some pieces are very very nice.

[Dawn]

Nice work man. There's a couple pieces I'm definitely interested in.

This.

[kuugaia]

now i wonder how long it will take for c'est fini to come in here and call you a loser

!!!

Influences and what not aside (I see a lot of IS for some reason), I think this is a great first collection. I'm very interested in a few of the items so let me know when you have them available!

[mack]

thanks guys.
i have been working on discovering my own look and own personal style, and i think the best way to do so, at this point, is try to find things i like and change it in ways that are different. But i have been experimenting lately on designs and an overall look that is my own. However, it is very hard not to appear similar to brands like rick, doma, or bbs. However i feel that the best and only way of finding a look of my own, is experimenting and continuing to work on new pieces.
i will be opening the "fusion fashion show" next year (because of the awards i won this year) with a collection, which i am working towards and focusing on my "own" look creating something different and using the new skills i have learning this past semester. However, this time around, the show and my designs will be more conceptual and i will have more freedom to design whatever i want (as i wont have to impress any judges this time) I hope the turn out, will be successful. i am very excited about.

SombreResplendence: the hooded parka on page 8 is a coated linen,with a asymmetrical zipper and a hood that was attached on the side of the jacket, covering the side of the face when put on, and falls off the shoulder when worn down.
The "leather" jacket on page 4 is actually a coated cotton, with an asymmetric zipper and 2 layer collar. like the other jackets, it has a knit sleeved lining but over extended past the outer shell.

most of the actual pieces aren't for sale... However, i will be working alot during the summer, and can make a couple pieces if you are interested in a few pieces...

[cjbreed]

you could make some extra $$ for sure just selling the basics on the side to us and do the occasional special order for more complicated peices. just a thought. maybe not enough time in the day

[kuugaia]

^ As cjbreed said, it might be another alternative to making some $$ while gaining more experience in something you love doing. I'm interested in procuring a few pieces. Let us know if you're going to have any time to take any orders.

[zaphiline]

hey mack,

I can relate to what your saying as i'm also a student, i too had the same issue with being heavily influenced by rick, damir and carol. which i don't think is a negative thing.

as i'm sure you will find your signature eventually, but i guess in order to do so you have to experiment.

comparing your 09 and 2010 collection it is clear that you have matured significantly, and i'm sure by your final year you will have your own distinctive signature. I personally find that it helps to submerge yourself in your own work.

as eat me mentioned you have to find a way to differentiate yourself from your inspirations, i personally find that it's good to look forward and not move back. By that i mean you can revisite the past or what has been, but you have to bring a new element to it.