Pacifica Stories

Isaiah Razavi is nearly halfway through his senior year at Pacifica, and has been making waves in our school culture in his final semesters of high school. Amid college applications, schoolwork, and other extracurricular activities, Isaiah has also been designing and producing an exclusive line of student apparel to honor the Seawolves and bring life into our school dress code. 

Razavi says that his venture into clothing design began as a joke between him and his friends. They would always come up with funny t-shirt ideas, and Isaiah would recreate them digitally to keep the joke going. He says that he has hundreds of comedic designs on his computer that came far before anything serious. Then, inspiration struck. What started as playing around with ideas aimlessly transformed into a genuine interest when Isaiah found inspiration in the Seawolf logo. He says that from there, everything fell into place and he began learning a more technical side of design.

The Seawolf logo, which is the focal point of Isaiah’s clothing line, originates from the Seawolf veterans of the Vietnam War. This helicopter attack squadron served as an all-volunteer Naval unit during the Vietnam war, and we honor their sacrifice and values by donning the Seawolf as our school mascot.

“The design process starts and ends with the Seawolf,” said Razavi. “It is such a unique piece of Pacifica’s culture and heritage, so I’ve made it my priority to honor the logo’s original design and meaning. I see the Seawolf as a reminder of our past, that heroic sacrifices were made so that we could have opportunities today. In doing that, it also calls us to the same standard that the Seawolves displayed for us; a standard of service, selflessness, and leadership by example. I want people who buy these pieces to be reminded of their identity as Seawolves, both celebrating and continuing the legacy of those before us.”

Isaiah’s designs have come to life in the form of ‘The 44 Collection.’ Forty-four units of each design are released at different points throughout the school year and made exclusively available for purchase to students who show commitment to Pacifica’s culture. Some of the criteria might include school attendance, dress code compliance, or participation in student life events. This not only rewards students who exemplify the Seawolf values that are so intrinsic to the clothing, but encourages others to adopt those values themselves. It is refreshing to see students excited about dress code items and anticipating the next drop from ‘The 44 Collection.’ Isaiah has been able to pursue this project with the support of school administration.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for the ways Pacifica has supported me in bringing this vision to life, particularly [Student Life Director] Mr. K,” said Isaiah. “Mr. K was actually the one to present the Seawolf idea to me, and it’s been amazing to have his support and endorsement throughout the whole process. Whether it was ordering blanks, creating a budget, or getting samples together, Mr. K was right there to help. I couldn’t even count the number of times I’ve hunted for him on campus to polish all aspects of the project, and his constant availability has always been above and beyond. It has meant a lot to have my creativity and vision supported by people like Mr. K, and the 44 Collection truly would not have been possible without him.”

Throughout this experience, Razavi has learned a lot about the practical side of design, as well as some larger life lessons. His main takeaway on the practical side is that the creative process is a marathon, not a sprint. Isaiah says that as someone who tends to be a very results-driven person, he is sometimes tempted to cut corners just for the sake of finishing something. Design has helped him to live in the moment and find enjoyment and fulfillment in the journey rather than solely in the destination.

“There were many times that I would ‘finish’ designing a piece early on, but the true value was eventually found in keeping things open and constantly getting closer to the best product possible,” he said. “Once I realized the significance of what I was designing and who I was designing for, my perspective changed and I began finding joy in the process itself… this project has given me the opportunity to explore my gifts and hobbies in a meaningful way.”

As Isaiah enters his final semester at Pacifica, he envisions himself continuing to use the skills he’s gained beyond high school. Thanks to this project, he has developed a passion for creative direction and looks forward to exploring this through Marketing, Advertising, Graphic Design, or other forms of media creation in the future.

Isaiah’s ultimate goal with ‘The 44 Collection’ is to enhance Pacifica’s culture by encouraging its students to explore their passions.

“Everyone has a creative side, that gift they may not take seriously but always come back to for the love of it,” said Razavi. “By taking mine seriously, I hope to encourage my peers to do the same. Life is better when you create rather than consume, and I want to remind people of their ability to create. If I can do it, so can you!”