When Greenwich-born designer Jason Troisi was eliminated from “Project Runway” in 2010, producers told him he wasn’t ready to design. Instead of giving up, those words ignited his ambition. “The fact that they were going to do me like that just gave me more fire,” Troisi said.
From Football to Fashion
Before his fashion career, Troisi was a high school football player who later found peace and purpose through sewing. Living with attention deficit disorder made him feel misunderstood, but fashion became his therapy. “I started sewing and I found my voice,” he recalled.
Troisi went on to study at Parsons School of Design, where he won the Gene Meyer Gold Thimble Award for menswear. After graduating in 2000, with few jobs available, he opened a landscaping business to support his dream.
A Triumphant Comeback
Years later, Troisi made his return to New York Fashion Week as part of F/Row Fashion Week. Tasked with creating thirteen looks in just three weeks, he worked tirelessly, balancing his business with late-night design sessions. His new line explored modern disconnection, using leather, latex, and neoprene to express strength and vulnerability.
Mentorship and Meaning
Troisi cast 21-year-old Zachary Sturza, a fellow Greenwich High graduate, as one of his models. “I felt I had to look out for him,” he said, emphasizing his commitment to protecting young talent in a demanding industry.
As a perfectionist, Troisi spent the show backstage, adjusting each outfit with precision. His patient approach is finally paying off — he is now heading to Los Angeles for another show. “Who knows what will happen when you catch fire?” he said with a grin.
