So I recently met you for the first time at Mars Parker’s event. I loved your vision and energy right away! Can you share with us what exactly it is you do as a fashion artist? That’s a term I’m not too familiar with.
As a fashion artist, I like to describe my work as a way to express myself, connect with others, and find full personal fulfillment. I love to incorporate playful textiles that include hand or machine embroidering, hand painting, tie-dyeing, hand embellishing or fabric manipulation. With these textual elements, it brings liveliness to the fabrics and creates an aesthetically pleasing look. When I am creating a collection, my purpose is to have that special bond between myself and my audience, and just hoping that they can relate to it, learn by it, or be inspired by it.
It’s evident you LOVE flowers. What do flowers mean to you?
Oh yes, flowers to me represent life, unconditional love, and happiness. Flowers are supposed to bring you closer to an inner connection with the soul, body, and mind. My relationship with flowers began when I first started “letting go” and fully immersing myself in nature. At that moment, life had just begun for me…and i felt super connected. To understand the life of a flower; how it lives, flourishes and blooms, you can begin to emulate those same aspects of life. Just like a flower, you want to create your own, "unique" message.
What has been your favorite project that you’ve worked on so far?
My favorite project that I’ve ever worked on was my senior thesis collection 'The Language of a Flower' which focused on the challenges of the roles of masculinity and femininity. The collection showcased a variety of stylish options that represented multiple flowers with unique embroideries, silk flowers, hand-dyed ruffles, that tied in with glamorously flowing contemporary silhouettes. Inspired by Bohemian style, the collection was designed for men, with attractive looks to express themselves and connect with the world and nature. The aesthetic of the collection was playful yet interesting because of the feminine touches combined with those masculine solids. It was an intense emotional roller coaster yet satisying process.
What advice would you give anyone who’s looking to dive into the career of fashion artistry?
Stay consistent, follow your intuition, and BELIEVE. Your intuition knows what's best for you. Listen to your heart and "trust the process." It's a competitive industry and it can be a little intimidating but trust me it's worth the journey. Its possible to succeed if you don't give up!
At what point did you realize you wanted to be a fashion artist and turn it into a career?
Art has always been a part of my life, though my family wasn't artist's, I still grew up in a very artistic community. I participated in several performing art activities and took pre-graduate classes at The University of the Arts for fine arts and fibers. My last year in high school is when I realized I wanted to be a fashion artist. I instantaneously fell in love with color, deconstructed fabrics, and fashion drawing. I got super inspired and started tie-dyeing fabrics in my room for fun. I realized that I wanted to experiment with more essential ingredients and materials.