We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nick Portello. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nick below.
Hi Nick , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Having the mentality that everything will work out eventually, and if a given situation isn’t working out, it’s not the end of the situation yet.
I love taking risks with fashion as well as through life in general because they make for the most exciting stories. It is through trials and tribulations, taking risks and sometimes failing in the moment, that I have learned to bounce back and gain resilience! A smooth sea has never made a skilled sailor.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Outside of my work in public relations, I love hitting the streets of New York City in custom garments that I create. I’m incredibly inspired by queer culture and sew vivacious outfits that I attend a variety of events in. I love to combine my love for fashion, event culture, and sustainability.
This often means sourcing materials from discount bins near my house or upcycling thrifted pieces. For example, I wore an outfit fully made of pool floaties for New York Fashion Week last year; I’ve also used hospital gowns, tents, and of course bedsheets.
I love sharing content of the sewing process as well as event recaps on my social media channels, with the goal to invite more people (especially queer youth) to have fun with fashion. It can be challenging to feel comfortable in your own skin, especially with a more traditional/conservative upbringing.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I would say the three most important qualities to possess would be self-love, creativity, and a desire for recklessness and to be pushing the envelope. If something is calling you, pursue it – regardless of what someone else thinks!
These three qualities all work in tandem. It’s the creativity that gives me ideas that can be sometimes out of the box, but it takes self-love and confidence to want to execute them as opposed to being too fearful.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
When I was in my undergrad at Northeastern, I spent a year abroad. I spent six months in Milan studying abroad and immediately held an unpaid internship in London that I truly believe changed my life. Though I wasn’t making any money on the job and had to get a second job as a waiter, I was on my own in one of the world’s largest and most exciting cities. It was here that I got to experience true queer night life and that signature East London creativity.
The friends I made at this time, Cale, Zev, Amber, Mycah, Goldie – and so many more – have all helped me express myself and grow in a way I had never before. Exploring two beautiful cities with these queer visionaries meant being exposed to ideas that I never would have found in my hometown of Long Island.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @nickportello
- Other: Tiktok: @nickportello1
Image Credits
Eva Deming
