Independent label / Mystic LoreThe Rōnyn Jacket
A kimono-inspired layer, developed from CLO patterns into a graded collection and a real-world market launch.
01Mario Heard / Selected portfolio 2026From first
From first
pattern to
final piece.
I’m an apparel designer and technical developer in Portland, Oregon. I turn ideas into garments—and build tools that support the work along the way.
Design · Develop · Make · RefineRōnyn JacketOriginal design / Mystic LorePortland, Oregon ↗CLO 3D / PatternSmith / AutoMetrix / Hands-on making
01 / Selected workIdeas made
Ideas made
tangible.
Original garments, collaborative contributions, and digital studies. A closer look at what I make—and how I get there.
Independent label / Mystic Lore01
Industry / ApparelWerksIn good company.
Hands-on production experience and contributions to the DM-Haori, Rummer, and Girlfriend Jackets.
03 / Digital pattern & silhouette studiesThinking in three
Thinking in three
dimensions.
Exploring proportion, construction, and coordinated looks through CLO 3D—from the Sable Reed Shirt to the Sankofa Pants.
View the studies02 / Inside the processThe making
The making
matters.
My work moves between the screen, the cutting table, and the sewing machine. Each stage gives me something to carry into the next.
Rōnyn Jacket / CLO 3D pattern developmentActual footage from my garment development process.
03 / Digital toolsMade for
Made for
the way I work.
Apparel work sparked the idea. My background in quality assurance helped me turn it into software. Two tools I designed and built with AI assistance.
Mystic Lore Studio
A connected workspace for garment projects, fabrics, technical development, and the stories around the work.
Apparel workflow platform / Private betaInside the workspace
Mystic Lore Garment Analyzer
Upload a garment photo. AI turns its visible design into descriptions, suggested pattern pieces, material recommendations, and a sewing reference.
Apparel workflow tool / Live AI prototypeExplore the workflow
At the sewing machine, in the studio.
04 / A little about meA maker’s eye.
A maker’s eye.
A developer’s mind.
I’m Mario. I care about how a garment looks, how it’s built, and how it feels in someone’s life.
I’m the founder of Mystic Lore Apparel and an Assistant Technical Designer at ApparelWerks. My practice connects digital pattern work with physical making, product photography, and the small decisions that bring an idea into focus.
Before apparel, I worked in quality assurance. That experience still shapes how I approach development: observe carefully, document clearly, test the details, and keep refining.
ApparelWerksAssistant Technical Designer
Mystic Lore ApparelFounder, Designer & Technical Developer
Little Cinema DigitalQuality Assurance Analyst
Studies in pattern making and garment construction at Portland Fashion Institute; film and photography at ArtCenter College of Design.
Read my résuméStart a conversationLet’s make
Let’s make
what comes next.
Open to conversations about technical design, apparel development, and thoughtful creative collaboration.