What drew you to a career in fashion?

I was always really opinionated about the clothing I wore. I think I was drawn to the power of expression that clothes and dressing holds, and how you can communicate non-verbally.

You had an opinion on your clothes even as a child - where did this stem from?

Oh yeah, I was really picky about what I wore from a young age. In the earliest stage, when I was about 10 years old, I think, I was trying to copy all my favorite stars on MTV, and then once I started skateboarding, when I was 11 or 12, I wanted to dress like my favorite skaters and people I admired at the skatepark. At 13 I got my first job at a grocery store and could start buying my own clothes, thankfully. Before that, I would drive my parents crazy requesting really specific stuff or not wearing things they bought me.

As an apparel designer, I'd love your take on sustainability. European countries are much more advanced in this space—where do you see the biggest progress yet to be made in the U.S.? 

Not surprisingly, the left-leaning coastal states seem to be adopting the progressive European standards first (New York, California, etc). I think there’s still a ton of work to do in product longevity, circularity, and biodegradable material sourcing. It’s a massive topic, and there is not a single “right” answer to it, but I’m happy to see that it’s a high priority for many creators and companies.

Is this something you are able to prioritize with your brand? Is one able to be profitable, sustainable, and small?

It’s hard to win in all 3 of those sectors, especially starting out. Considering creation and sustainability has always been important to me, naturally, I want to make sure that I’m making responsible choices in my business. My primary approach to sustainability right now is making the best possible product that I can, that is comfortable and long-lasting. This means that the customer can get a ton of wear out of it, until it’s destroyed, or they can pass it along by donating or reselling it so that someone else can use it. Additionally, I’m using PFAS-free materials, recycled materials, and compostable or reusable packaging at every opportunity. As I progress, I hope to be able to make bigger leaps and gains on the sustainability side of my business.

Where do you draw inspiration from in your work?

Nature! I really just eat up visual references from nature: lines in sandstone on the beach, patterns on acorns, you name it; nature is the coolest.

Along that same vein, are there specific cities where you feel the most inspired?

This is a hard one! I was just in Montreal last week and I love it there. New York also has a special place in my heart. I like the chaos, and diversity of people and lifestyles. Those places feel really alive to me.

How do you balance uniqueness with market appeal in your designs?

Very hard to do! I rely on a mixture of weird stuff and commercial things, in an effort to gain attention while still selling things. It’s very hard from a personal discipline point of view. I usually just want to make the weirder things, haha!

Emerging or upcoming designers you're keeping an eye on?

I like Connor Mcknight’s stuff. I also love Wanze Song, Rier, and Paloma Wool.