Student Spotlight: Lori Tagoona, A Northerner ‘Studying’ on the West Coast

When you have a passion to learn and the desire to push yourself to build your skills, you don’t let location stop you from following your dreams! Inuit student Lori Tagoona completed Pattern Making in spring 2021 and has started Technical Pattern Making this semester - all remotely from her home in the North.

We spoke with Lori about her career goals and her journey so far at The Cut.

Who you are as a Designer?

I'm interested in creating high-quality functional outdoor apparel for northerners. My family spends a lot of time outdoors - hunting, fishing, dog-teaming, and snowmobiling. Inuit are well known for their skills as designers and seamstresses, it's a skill that exists in every community.

I also love technical outerwear created by brands like Arcteryx and Patagonia - very technical and well designed. The issue with these designs is that they are created for warmer and wetter climates. What I envision is a combination of Inuit patterns and styles with the technical aspects of other outdoor apparel. Apparel that's built for extreme cold weather, yet still breathable so that moisture doesn't build up inside.

Why did you choose The Cut for your education?

I love living in the north, and I was looking for a program that would allow me to study and work remotely. The Cut has been able to offer this to me. My instructors so far have been amazingly supportive.

What are your plans upon graduating?

I hope to continue designing and experimenting with outdoor apparel, and one day create an outdoor line for northerners.

What excites you the most about this next step in your life?

I'm passionate about designing and sewing. During my course, I was up at 6 am starting projects before my workday. Going to bed I was excited to start in the morning, rather than dreading it. For me, this was a sign that I was doing something I loved. Even my daughter knew how much I enjoyed it, drafting little mini patterns of her own.