My Design Language

Hello!

My name is Christopher Lagasse. I am originally from Wolcott, Connecticut, and I graduated from Marist College in 2023 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion.

I am an old soul, which reflects my approach to design. When I began high school, my grandmother, who sewed in a factory in the 1960s, passed down her vintage sewing machine to me. During this time, she taught me the basics and helped me construct my first dress shirt. It was this moment that sparked my passion for technical design and the art of craft. In a society bombarded with the presence of social media and an obsession with the next best thing, I often find myself turning to the impacts of slow fashion and craftsmanship, hoping to invoke a sense of keepsake value into the clothing I design.

Since the beginning of my involvement in Marist’s fashion program, I have grown as a designer, having become involved in a variety of fashion-related activities, such as the 2020 Mid Hudson Regional Business Plan Competition, the Marist Measure fashion magazine, operating as secretary of Fashion Inc. (Marist’s fashion club), volunteering at Marist’s annual Silver Needle Runway, and working at the Steel Plant fashion gallery. 

Over the Fall 2021 semester, I studied abroad at Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute in Florence, Italy. 

In terms of fashion experience, I started out as a sales associate at Ram’s Clothiers in Waterbury, and then moved to J.Crew in Farmington a few months later. The summer leading into my junior year, I was a fashion design intern and freelance tailor for Undone by Kate, a New York-based clothing company specializing in sustainability and the art of upcycling. There, I gained hands-on experience related to design, the business of fashion, and company growth.

The summer leading into my senior year, I interned for the Ralph Lauren 2022 Inspire Program, holding the position of Men's Design - Polo Clothing & Sportswear Fabric Design. Currently, I am an assistant in the same department as a part of the Ralph Lauren Iconic Program.

I look forward to connecting with you!