My Story

The last photo I took with my grandfather.

When my grandfather passed away, everything I believed about my future started to shift. His death was the hardest moment of my life. It made me stop and think about how fragile life really is, and how easy it is to let time slip away doing something that doesn’t make you happy. My grandfather always dreamed of living a certain kind of life, but he never got the chance to. Hearing that he died with regrets made me realize that I didn’t want the same for myself.

That’s when I started thinking about what I’ve always loved: fashion.

For most of my life, I thought I was supposed to become a doctor. It felt like the right path, stable, respected, and something my family could be proud of.

Ever since I was little, I’ve been sketching outfits, rearranging my closet, and experimenting with fabrics and color. It had always been part of me, but I pushed it aside because I thought I needed to follow a more “practical” path.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/d71c0e_75727fa4c2f2486b8f08da37de0f1306/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This is me sewing a corset!

My grandfather’s death reminded me that doing what’s expected is not the same as doing what’s right for you.

Now, I’m majoring in Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising with a minor in Apparel Design, Digital Marketing, and Sports Business at Central Washington University. I want to live a life that feels true to who I am, creative, expressive, and unafraid to take risks.

I designed I drew for a dinner party. I plan on making it soon!

Fashion lets me do that. It gives me freedom, purpose, and a way to honor my grandfather’s memory by living without regrets.

Losing my grandfather was a turning point that changed everything.

It pushed me to stop living for others and start living for myself, and that’s exactly what I plan to keep doing.

I know he would be proud to see me choosing a path that makes me happy, one where I can turn my passion into something meaningful. Every design I create, and every risk I take, feels like a small promise to him and to myself that I will live fully, boldly, and without fear of regret.

xo,

Mishka!