300+ Hours of My Work Straight to the Bin (Part 2/2)

Most people assume that being a successful designer automatically means making money from every project. The reality is very different.

Some of the work I am most proud of has never generated a single pound; not because it lacked quality, but because it came at the wrong time or was aimed in the wrong direction. Looking back, I realise that timing and purpose are just as important as talent.

This project is the perfect example.

A few years ago, after completing my American Wonder Boy project, I felt the need to explore a new creative direction. That journey led me to develop a collection called Get Your Number, inspired by the character of Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby, with Mariah Carey also serving as one of my key muses. From these influences, I created an entire fictional fairytale universe.

The project imagined an exclusive collaboration between Casablanca Paris and me. I designed a complete capsule collection for both men and women, including ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, belts, hats, sunglasses and jewellery.

But I didn't want to stop at beautiful garments.

I produced a complete editorial portfolio that showcased every look, alongside mood boards, fabric selections, design developments, close-up details and in-depth descriptions, finishing with an overview of the entire collection.

Still, that wasn't enough for me.

I wanted to demonstrate that my vision extended far beyond sketches on paper. So, I brought one of the looks to life, producing the garment to show how the concept translated into reality.

Then I pushed the idea even further.

I designed and built, entirely from scratch, a large presentation box that felt somewhere between a fashion show set and a luxury Barbie dream house. It wasn't simply packaging, it was part of the storytelling. It reflected the way I think creatively beyond fashion design alone.

To complete the experience, I even designed an exclusive shopping bag concept for Casablanca's boutiques.

In total, I invested more than 300 hours into this project.

Every morning before work. Every evening after work. Weekends without breaks. It became an obsession fuelled by passion rather than obligation.

When everything was finally complete, I felt incredibly proud. I truly believed in what I had created.

I contacted Casablanca through multiple channels, determined to present my work. I managed to send the presentation box directly to the CEO's desk.

Nothing happened.

No reply.

No feedback.

No acknowledgement.

I was completely ignored.

Of course, it hurt. After dedicating hundreds of hours to something you genuinely believe in, silence can feel louder than rejection.

But during that period, I kept thinking about something Karl Lagerfeld once said:

"Fashion is one of the most unfair industries. If you're not ready for that, you should work for the post office."

At first, I felt like I had wasted 300 hours of my life.

Today, I couldn't disagree more.

A few months later, I realised the project had failed for a completely different reason. It wasn't because the collection lacked creativity. It wasn't because the ideas weren't strong enough.

It was because I was heading in the wrong direction.

I was investing all my creativity, strategic thinking and business vision into building someone else's brand instead of my own.

That project became the turning point that changed everything.

Sometimes, failure isn't there to tell you that you're not good enough.

Sometimes, it's there to tell you that you're walking the wrong path.

We're often in such a rush to achieve success that we never stop to ask ourselves a simple question:

Am I building the life I truly want, or am I building someone else's dream?

Since completing this project, I've learned more about myself than any successful collaboration could ever have taught me. I now know exactly where my creativity belongs and where I want to invest my energy.

My future isn't about waiting for someone else's approval.

It's about creating my own world.

I'm still adjusting, refining and evolving with every step, but now every step moves me towards something that truly belongs to me. Not every project is meant to make money.

Some projects exist to change your direction.

The work you think ended up in the bin may become the foundation of everything you build next. Sometimes the greatest return on your investment isn't profit, it's clarity. And once you know you're on the right path, every hour you spent becomes part of the journey rather than a waste of time.

Below, you can discover the work I created.

Behind the scenes