Winning in Failing

Graduate Judy James-Hernandez receives her certificate in garment construction and entrepreneurship from Lead Instructor Daniel Concepcion and Executive Director Ngozi Okaro. Training Institute Cohort 6 Graduation Celebration & Fashion Show June 27, 2019 at Mara Hoffman.

By Daniel Concepcion, Custom Collaborative’s Lead Instructor

Some weeks ago, one of my wishes came true. I got to see one of my favorite artists perform live. Bjork held a residency here in New York to promote her latest album. Entitled, Cornucopia, the concert lived up to its name. It was a symphonic performance which she sang against a full choir and a flute ensemble. That sent me into a spiral recounting my favorite Bjork songs.

One of the tracks that I rediscovered and found a new affinity for was “Moon.” In it she sings about the cycle of life, and the risks it entails to live fully:

Best way to start the new is to fail miserably

Fail at loving and fail at giving

Fail at creating a flow then realign the whole

And kick into the start hole

It struck me how much she emphasized the importance of failure in these lines, which is contradictory to the culture of modern capitalist society. Today, success, in its many forms: financial, professional and personal, is the goal of life. But we are human, finite and broken, and we can’t win all the battles despite how much we prepare for them or fight.

In this light, I looked back on my failures. Painful as they were, they allowed me to grasp and accept not only my brokenness but also certain situational factors that were out of my control. And they also led me to the paths of growth.

I dealt with failure as a young fashion design student who lost at a design contest. I was so crushed by the defeat, having pored myself so much into the project, that it made me want to be a better designer by wanting to master clothing construction, which I am able to impart to my students.

I dealt with failure as a teacher who for one reason or another, lost students through the course of the program, This made me reevaluate my mode of instruction, and my manner of dealing with students to some success evidenced by the previous graduates and the six very talented and passionate budding design practitioners we have seated here.