Today we’d like to introduce you to Francisco Flores.
Francisco, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Growing up, I was very shy and a bit of a loner. it was very hard for me to socialize with my peers because we did not have common interests and I refused to pretend to like or do things that didn’t feel were very “me”. so I would find ways to entertain myself such as: creating my own Pokemon hoping that one day it will appear in the actual show & video games, in fact, i did that with almost every show I watched, I would create new characters and stories hoping one day they would all exist to the public eye. it wasn’t until my eldest sister became a fashion follower that I began to take interest in fashion. I would sketch new clothes hoping that one day my sister would wear one of my designs. my grandma who was a former tailor taught me to sew after I got tired of constantly asking her to alter my clothing. as I practice my sewing techniques, I began to create garments and accessories that my sister would wear to show me support. I then began to create my own brands, stories and designer names hoping that one day I would be asked these questions about my career and designs. I became addicted to fashion, every garment I would see in the streets I would breakdown in my brain and imagine myself sewing it and constructing it. although fashion as a career was previously never an option, fashion was the one career I could see myself enjoying the most. so I attended FIDM where I was able to grow and learn all the skills I have now. After being rejected by the 3rd year program (Debut program where 11 students get the opportunity to create a 12 look collection and have it shown to the public), I began to question my talent. but I had already envisioned myself walking down the runway with my models, so I created my own brand “Flores” as a way to show the judges of the 3rd year program that I have what it takes to be a part of the program. the following year I was accepted with a full scholarship, and in March 2016, I had my first collection walk a runway. Surely after, I was hired as a designer for PFD, a new upcoming website where designers can create new garments and have them manufactured with just a few clicks on a computer.
Has it been a smooth road?
Although there have been many great opportunities in my career, there has been just as many distractions. I started to chase my career right after high school and I did not know if I was ready to enter a fast paced school program. When I entered the class and realized that there are students who are much more experienced and knowledgeable than myself, so I began to question if I want it as much as they do. I began to doubt myself constantly which lead to me not putting my career as a priority, but the put having fun outside of my career as a priority. when I first graduated from my 2-year program, I had no chance of finding a job in my field because I did no internships nor received any experience that can help me get employed. I got a job at a retailer working as a cashier and then after as a warehouse associate, unloading trailers at 4am and putting out the merchandise before stores open. for a year I worked in such conditions while at the same time building my brand and believing that this will be worth it when I get accepted into my college’s 3rd-year debut program, and it did.
What are some of the influences that have played the biggest role in your journey so far?
My grandma, she’s the one who patiently taught me how to use a sewing machine. Her sewing machine was her “baby” and she was very protective of it, so for her to let me experiment with it showed me she believes in me and wants me to succeed. And my parents, who have supported and never questioned any of my life and career choices. Having such a good support system is what keeps me going forward because I’m not afraid to fall and not be able to get up, instead, I know one day I will fall and my family will be there to help me get back up.
What type of clients or projects do you look forward to most?
Right now, I am currently working on my first wedding dress for one of my close friends who’s getting married in February 2017. Probably going to be the last wedding dress I ever do because…. gowns are not my forte. The most memorable project I ever worked on was one I did in college for GUESS Inc. That was the first time I ever met anyone who’s working in the industry and the first corporate office I went into. I had the opportunity to get mentored and design a whole denim look for GUESS. I originally submitted my project to school thinking “what are the odds my design would be one of the 5 that gets to compete?” and by surprise, i was selected to compete for the prize amongst 4 other students. I worked so hard and ended up winning a $5000 scholarship and had my jacket and shorts sold via e-commerce on Guess.com.
What have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned over the course of your career?
If I could go back in time give myself some advice, I would tell myself to spend more time finding and developing my design esthetic and less time worrying about others opinion about my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://floreswear.strikingly.com
- Email: floreslosangeles@yahoo.com
- Instagram: floreswear
- Facebook: floreswear
Image Credit:
Runway images: FIDM
Models & Designer: Jerry Lee Photo
