
We had the chance to sit down with the ultra-charismatic Marc Sebastian Faiella, who gained some serious recognition last year after winning the Fusion Fashion Show, the annual competition between F.I.T. and Parsons. It's been nearly a whole year since the spectacle that is Fusion, so we thought we'd catch up with Marc and find out what he's been up to. ---
TS: How did life change after winning Fusion?
M: Winning Fusion for F.I.T. was a double-edged sword. I got treated a lot differently when I won, and not in a good way! I won and everyone was like, "Oh, now he thinks he's better than everyone?" No, even though I won I'm still learning just like everyone else. It's not like I won and now I know everything about fashion!
How did the Fusion experience shape you as a designer?
I think I have such an upper hand in some ways now. Like when I'm sitting there sketching, I know the process. Not many people know the process, and it's a long grueling process.
Any advice for incoming fashion students?
1) Get an internship. 2) Don't care about what anyone else in your school thinks. They're just jealous, or cranky in general. 3) Don't sleep, you're not going to. 4) Don't go into something saying, "Oh, it's only gonna take five hours." Add another ten hours to that and that's how long it'll take.
Biggest influence
I think my biggest influence in fashion is New York City. Going to fashion school and doing what I love, in a city that I love.
Internships
I learn nothing at school. I learn the most at internships. The experiences I have, the people I meet and what they tell me. That's why I like meeting new designers, because each one of us has a new story and advice.
Daniel Vosovic (formerly of Project Runway)
I actually stopped him outside of a Starbucks when I was in high school and ever since then we've become really close. He helps me with everything, literally everything. I intern for him right now and every time I've had an issue with fabric or even like personal things, he's always there to help. He is the nicest man.
In five years...
It may be ambitious for within five years, but I'd like to have my own line. I know that I want my own label but I also know that I'm gonna have to work under someone to get it. Even if I don't have my own label within five years, I just want something that I can do on the side that I can call my own.
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So there you have it, the latest from Marc Sebastian! We wish him the best this upcoming semester as he'll be heading to Italy to study at Polimoda in Florence! We should also break the news that, upon returning to New York next year, Marc hopes to attend Parsons. You heard correct, the winner of the Fusion Fashion Show for F.I.T. has applied to Parsons and may in fact be switching teams!