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Nolan did not grow up with dreams of becoming a fashion designer. He grew up wanting to be a pediatrician. While volunteering at the Children's
Hospital during his junior year at UC Berkeley, Nolan came to the realization that although becoming a pediatrician may have seemed like what he wanted, it ultimately would not make him happy. This realization set into motion the journey that would lead him to the fashion industry. Nolan's first stop was Waikiki.
Originally intending to stay for a week, Nolan loved the locals and the challenges of learning how to play beach volleyball.
Hawaii is also where he was first introduced to the world of fashion as a retail sales associate at Guess in
Waikiki. After six months, he transferred to the
New York City Guess store located in the trendy neighborhood of SoHo. Soon, he started working for Calypso St. Barth, an upscale clothing boutique first as a Wholesale Assistant, then as an Assistant Buyer.
Nolan Kouri purchased a sewing machine and taught himself how to sew, but upon further advice from other designers and fashion industry professionals he enrolled in fashion design school. Nolan Kouri received his BA degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley in 2009 and his AA degree in Fashion Design from
American
River
College
in 2011.
Awards:
Best of Show for garment construction at the California Community College Fashion Symposium held in Los Angeles, CA - April 2011
(Other awards from the Fashion Symposium: 3rd and 4th in the evening wear category, 3rd in the swimwear category, and 3rd in the denim deconstruction contest)
Best of Show for his Futurist Manifesto collection at the American River College finalé fashion show, May 2011
Semi-finalist in the casting process for Project Runway season 9, April 2011 |
