By Elise Mackanych | Additional reporting by Kirsten Coachman
Ever since she was a child, textile designer Makayla Godden, who professionally goes by “Mak,” knew she was destined for the fashion world. From creating magazine collages of her favorite outfits as a child to now working on magazine shoots with A-list stars (hello, Michael B. Jordan!), Mak’s journey has been one of passion, unexpected twists, and unwavering commitment.
While attending the Academy of Art University, Mak grew her love for fashion as she thrifted clothes from Wasteland and Held Over Vintage on Haight Street, wore wild outfits with sequins and hand-painted jeans, and dove deep into fashion history in her classes at the Academy. She graduated with a B.F.A. in fashion textile design in 2020, but her path wasn’t always clear.
During school, an instructor told Mak that she couldn’t draw. At first, the moment made her feel disheartened, but then it fueled her to have a chip on her shoulder and use it as a strong motivation to dive deeper into her creativity.
In 2020, the pandemic closed classrooms and forced Mak to move back home to Clovis, California, with her family, where she quickly set up a studio in her parents’ garage. While challenging at first, this altered the trajectory of her career forever.
“I ended up creating my own clothing brand,” shared Mak. “I basically started it from the ground up, putting my art on clothes in the backyard, set up shop, started modeling my own clothes, made my own website, and hit the ground running from there.”
Mak found a strong sense of support from Rhona MacKenzie, the assistant director of textiles.
“She sent me an email saying, ‘You’re Makayla Godden. There’s nothing that you can’t do.’ She really empowered me and told me anything was possible,” shared Mak. “When you’re at the end of the road, and it feels like there’s nothing else you can do, there’s always something you can figure out. She also told me, ‘Gucci’s not just going to wake up and call you, you have to go get it.’”
MacKenzie said that it was Mak’s optimism in her class that made her stand out.
“She was just really positive. She was always up,” reflected MacKenzie. “You know how students get really kind of down about things when it’s not going right? Because she’s got a brilliant sense of humor, she just got on with it. A complete asset as a teacher to have in class, cause she was the positive, vibey one, the jokey one, just a super cool human being.”
In addition to working on her brand, Mak has also found work on different styling teams, working on various shoots with celebrities such as Pharrell Williams, Michael B. Jordan, Macaulay Culkin, Brenda Song, Hunter Schafer, and Kevin Costner, as well as at Zara, Elle Magazine, and Seventeen Magazine.
“I had one of the craziest years ever last year,” said Mak. “I learned so much from being in the room with these people I’ve looked up to and really studying them. I take whatever I can from those jobs and put it into my business.”
Mak’s recent mantra has been saying yes to everything. This ideology landed her styling jobs with GQ and Cosmopolitan magazines. To get her foot in the door, she took a gig as a styling assistant on the set of a music video for musician and artist Simone Ledward Boseman.
The head stylist on set took note of Mak’s work ethic and asked her if she wanted to step in for a job if ever she could not attend. After having the opportunity to work with GQ and Cosmo, Mak gained immeasurable experience and connections, all from saying yes.
“It has been amazing. One of my favorites was with Pharrell Williams,” said Mak. “One of my first projects I did for my brand was a sweatshirt with his face on it. To see him, be there, and work on the styling team was insane.”
Despite common misconceptions of the fashion world, Mak shares that being a stylist is selfless work, as you’re working hard to make other people shine. This work ethic transfers to her clothing brand, as its primary goal is to make other people stand out, be who they’re born to be, and be confident in who they are.
Her brand, Mak Made It, has been worn by NFL players, including Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Houston Texans defensive end Jerry Hughes, and has been featured on screen in HBO’s award-winning series “Mare of Easttown.” Mak Made It operates successfully through pop-ups and her online shop. She recently received another opportunity to be a featured artist on a TV show based in Laguna Beach, where she can showcase her art, work with a mentor, and broadcast her art on a larger scale. She was asked to design the merch for the show.
“All of these opportunities are popping up because I just stepped out and started,” said Mak.
As a stylist and textile designer, Mak searches for inspiration everywhere. This inspiration fuels her creative process and provides new ideas every day.
“More than ever, my mind and my eyes are open to everything around me to be inspired,” said Mak. “I’ve been the same way ever since I was walking around San Francisco, trying to find anything that is inspiring to me. I still use that.”
Her future goals for Mak Made It are focused on building collaborations with well-known brands—a dream collab: Louis Vuitton. Another goal for Mak is to host Mak Made It pop-ups worldwide where buyers can customize garments.
For students who are beginning their journey in the fashion world, Mak suggests trying different things, following your passion, and keeping an open mind.
“Try different classes than you normally would, experiment with different avenues, go to museums, music shows, art shows, and really immerse yourself in the city and experiences you can attend, and use it all for inspiration. Go for what really wakes you up in the morning.
“My mission for Mak Made It is to help others stand out and embrace their uniqueness, as well as encourage young people to go out for their dreams, knowing anything is possible with hard work and dedication,” said Mak. “I’m passionate about giving back to those less fortunate and look for opportunities where I can help wherever I can.”