I had sent my portfolio to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT in NYC) when I was 18–years–old in hopes of getting accepted to study – I was so enamoured with the idea of going there as this was the Fashion Institute of Technology. I mean fashion is in their name! To me it seemed like there was no higher you could get – these were the experts right?! So here I am in Kansas City a small town boy with big city dreams and I get this letter back from them saying quote unquote that I lacked originality, creativity and artistic ability and would therefore not be able to be accepted into the school. Needless to say it was devastating to my 18–year–old self! I nearly cried for a whole day feeling that my very life’s existence was a farce as this almighty oz of a school was telling me that I didn’t stand a chance and who’s going to argue with the experts?!! After sulking around my house in Kansas City for a week I then decided to just go to New York and figure it out myself nothing was going to change if I didn’t change it myself – so I went to New York to discover that often when one door closes a whole hallway full of ‘em opens!
