22-year-old Nolan Dickinson based out of Toronto, Canada is the mastermind behind @srrysora
If you didn't already know, the name stems from a kingdom of hearts character.
"srrysorra basically just means "sorry nolan" but i changed my name to sora cause... that has always stuck with me since i was a kid"
Starting his brand out of waterloo, he got into design through skate culture. He dressed like and used the older skaters as inspiration for his outfits, though never actually thought about having his own brand at the time. As he entered high school, he never really had any interests but he knew that clothes were one thing he loved. Using the sewing machine made him fall in love with the process of learning new techniques, pattern drafting and seeing his visions come to life through garments.
"I was then kicked out of high school and that's when i really had to sit back and think about what i wanted to do. I was in a hard place. At the time i was working at a thrift store and we got a sewing machine donated to us, and on my lunch i snuck it to the back and after work took it and from there i never stopped sewing"
Fast forward a little bit Sora moved in with 2 other designers. One of them being @undone.design with tons of experience, who taught him almost everything he needed to know. This allowed Sora to elevate his brand and really make the garments he was happy to make. It ultimately got the ball rolling for him to improve and pick up things by himself. He was repeatedly doing 30+ hours just on sewing orders with sleepless nights but it pushed him into the designer he is today.
"I also feel like as a designer to put yourself in one box of one aesthetic can be damaging, i want to create everything all styles"
"from being hopeless to having my dreams come true right in front of my eyes this is what pushes me to always be improving"
Sora isn't one to box himself into an aesthetic his focus is more on exploring styles, aesthetics, techniques and having fun breaking down barriers. This makes sense as Sora has mentioned that the year ahead is all about adding depth and meaning to his garments and collections. This year he also wants to really grow his handmade line with very intricate designs that will challenge him to learn new techniques and showcase his skills as a designer. Runway is also something he's looking to do this year. I'm not sure about you but that's something I'm fully down to see! Expect Sora to grow his vision and work while also refining his brand professionally to its highest potential.
"i haven't come to terms with my 'favourite design' yet i feel like i have too many ideas to showcase before i can say what my favourite is, so i guess my favourite design is the design that hasn't been made yet"
"I can positively say i think this will be the year i really find myself as a designer and explore the endless ideas i have and give them my best foot forward into making the ideas come to life"
Sora got a new drop coming this March which will be previewed soon. Expect more frequent drops to come @srrysora
“I have a lot in the works already for the next few months that I am very excited to showcase, THE best work yet”