Stitching together a new life: Schenectady designer comes long way since substance abuse, prison stint

Stitching together a new life: Schenectady designer comes long way since substance abuse, prison stint

While Mark Sincere Bar-more spends most of his nights at the Schenectady City Mission’s men’s shelter, he spends most of his days sewing at the Electric City Barn.

The makerspace, which opened in 2018 on Craig Street, has functioned as his workshop and a second home for the past year. He works on the second floor with his sewing machines, dress forms, fabrics and clothing rack featuring everything from brightly colored shirts with asymmetrical hems to intricately patterned jackets.

It looks like a typical designer’s studio, and it’s not far from where Sincere — he goes by just a single name these days — had his first fashion show last year, sending local models wearing looks from his Sincerely Black fashion line down the runway. In the coming months, he’ll be spending more time there than ever, designing and sewing for his second fashion show in November.

It’s all a far cry from where his career began.

“I started sewing in prison, taking the green prison uniforms and altering them,” Sincere said.

Born in Freeport, Long Island, Sincere moved to Schenectady in the 1990s. He attended SUNY Schenectady Community College’s culinary management program for a year but didn’t graduate. At the time, he was struggling with drug addiction and substance abuse. In 2002, when his son was born, Sincere realized he couldn’t be a father in the way he wanted to and live with his addiction.

“Every year for my birthday, Miki takes me for brunch. She took me to Jo-Ann’s [fabric store] and said ‘Get what you need to start,’” Sincere said. That was in 2018, around the same time he started living at the City Mission. While he was there, he mentioned to Mike Harrigan, associate executive director of shelter operations, his dream of building a business with his sewing and designing skills. Harrigan immediately wanted to help.https://www.vssewingmachine.in/

“They provided me with four sewing machines and allowed me to sew, and the condition was I would do the Bridges to Freedom program,” Sincere said. The yearlong discipleship and recovery program helps residents with whatever baggage they might have, said Harrigan, whether it’s addiction or trauma. When Sincere started the program, Harrigan made sure he could continue sewing

Stitching together a new life: Schenectady designer comes long way since substance abuse, prison stint

City Mission to the Barn, where he’s worked ever since. Sincere has also encouraged other community members, such as photographer Jeffrey Johnson, to become members as well. Sincere’s drive to create and turn his designs into a business make him the ideal Electric City Barn member. The organization is both a community makerspace and an incubating space for people who are trying to get small businesses off the ground or focus on their art . vs sewing machines

Eckler keeps track of participation hours at the Barn to see how many people are using the space and at what hours.

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