You've been creating online since you were very young, but fashion has become such an important part of your creative world. What was it about making clothes that made you want to explore fashion more seriously?
I've always paid close attention to my clothing – more about how it made me feel – less about how it was constructed, but as I've been a creative for such a long time now; transitioning into design feels like an extremely natural outcome from where I started. I've spent so long in front of the camera but have spent many hours behind it as well; filming, editing, producing – there's always this duality to creating for me – it's never just one sided. It's not just about the clothes and how they're styled or how they look on camera, but the art of their creation and construction inspires me just as deeply.
You've always had a very strong visual point of view. Has fashion changed the way you see yourself as a creative, or did it simply give you a new way to express something that was already there?
I'd say the building blocks of my creativity were built on fashion experimentation at a young age. It's always been there, and I look back with hindsight of how truly intuitive my creative process was for me as a child and how many years later it really is the same; just do what feels fun, and don't overthink it too hard.
St. George, Utah (2009)
Your grandmother is also an artist, quilter, and fiber artist, and you've mentioned that she helped you with your first sewing projects. How has having creativity in your family shaped the way you approach making things today?
Yes! My grandma, Dayzee, is an incredible self taught fiber artist who kept the arts and craft train always going during childhood. I never saw her without her clear zip bag full with her hand sewing supplies and different pieces of whatever she was currently working on. As a child, I remember looking at her hands and thinking how magical they were, and wondering if my hands could be magical like hers. I would most definitely not be the artist I am without her influence.
My grandma Dayzee's piece, 'Duck Creek, Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall' (2025) using hand-dyed silk and wool fabrics, embroidery, needle felting
Do you remember the first piece you made that felt genuinely like your own style? What was it, and what did it make you realize about the kind of designer you wanted to become?
Honestly, I don't feel I have made it yet! I've made many pieces, but so far they have only been for school assignments. Since due dates are always so tight, I'm never able to spend as much time on a piece as I would like. I have a sense of self-acceptance knowing that my best work will come with a little more time and practice.
You've worked in front of the camera for years, and now you're learning to create what people see on the camera. Has being both the person wearing the clothes and the person designing them changed the way you think about fashion?
Absolutely. Something I always have in mind is "How will this look on camera?" My mind doesn't always live in the everyday, I live in a cycle of piecing things together. That's what creative direction basically is, isn't it? It's never just about the clothes. The clothes are a piece of a larger picture (though they're a bigger piece). Truly, I live to create visual imagery and that includes every aspect, naturally behind and in front of the camera, and every space in between.
Your content has always felt very editorial and visually intentional. When you're creating a garment, do you usually start with the idea of how you want it to look in a photograph, or with how you want it to feel on the body?
I start more with a story, and although the main character is usually played by myself, I also play cinematographer. I think more with a director's hat perspective of how something is going to look and the bigger picture, but when it comes to everyday living, how a garment feels is everything. Comfort doesn't have to be sacrificed, but if you have 15 minutes worth of light left and you're on the beach shooting a magazine editorial, comfort may not be the priority in those moments. I always say, anything for the shot.
You've talked about learning to trust your own creative perspective instead of worrying about what an audience might think. Has that mindset changed the way you design or choose what to make?
Sharing your creative journey with an audience is definitely vulnerable and scary! In this day and age, I'm not sure how to succeed as an artist without also being an influencer. Luckily, I've cultivated this relationship with my audience over the last decade where they trust me to be the one holding the reins and steering the ship. I've also cultivated a relationship with myself where I am constantly reaffirming myself that again, just do what feels fun, and don't overthink it too hard.
What does your creative workspace look like now? Has studying fashion changed the way you work compared to when you were first teaching yourself to sew?
My creative space is between Parsons and my apartment; my studio loft in Flatiron where I have fabric and thread stored in every crevice that I can manage. When I was first teaching myself to sew, being consistent was hard because I felt so intimidated by my machine and my workspace. Now that I'm more comfortable, there's much more of a flow, that is me going up and down my ladder to my ironing board back up to my sewing machine over and over again.
Before discovering Royal Dress forms, what was your experience with dress forms like? Was there something you felt was missing when you were draping or developing your designs?
The dress forms at Parsons have lived long lives (at least they look like they have). They are loved and worn and graffitied, with all different shapes and sizes. Having my own dress form feels like a giant piece of my never ending creative puzzle. To be able to consistently work on the same dress form, and from my house, will be a game changer this semester.
You've spent years creating things for an audience. Now that you're studying fashion and developing your own design practice, what is something you want to create simply because you want to see it exist?
I will be making a movie with all my friends one day, and of course my name will be in the credits next to (but not exclusively) costume designer and styling. With how much time I've spent filming and creating my own video content, I love cinema and I want to see my designs on the big screen.
Thank you Avrey Ovard!
