With Graduate fashion week just a day away, most people with ambitions to become fashion designers may consider a fashion design course the best route to make it in that field. That isn’t the case. Most people start their careers by turning a passion into a business. Alexander McQueen famously dropped out of school, found work in Savile Row, honed his craft from there, and the rest was history. So for anyone with a huge passion for fashion out there, just know there are many avenues to get where you need to be. You could intern somewhere to start, and learn anything from absolute scratch. Or simply buy a sewing machine and start sewing, with a lot of help from friends, classes, or even youtube! Or any other avenue that should present itself as the best option.
One the most popular niches of the current ‘influencers’ era is fashion bloggers who are very good at blogging about fashion, have a great fashion sense, have a good rapport with their followers, and decide to start their own collection. Arizona based Mykel Elizabeth is one such blogger, and is set to launch her own collection, having blogged about fashion for years. Here is what she had to say.
How did Mykel Elizabeth get into fashion?
I’ve always been interested in the fashion industry and fashion design, and
knew it would be a large part of my career. I like to believe that I
attracted this career because it what I’ve always loved and I’m so
passionate about it.
2. How did that gradually progress to fashion design?
I started off (like most girls do) with a blog that was my creative outlet.
I was different about it, though… most girls say they started it as a
hobby then it turned into their career.I knew from the day I started my blog it would become my career. I was very intentional about that.This year, I took my love for fashion design to the level of creating my own brand and collection. I always knew I wanted to do it, and was like
it’s now or never.
3. What would you say is your signature aesthetic?
Soft tones, pinks and really feminine detailing. I also love bold
statements. I always love the words fierce feminine.
4. How do you source for your materials?
Materials are sourced from local places in the Phoenix, area. And all my
designs are made in the USA.
5. What have been the highs and lows thus far?
So many lows and so many highs! The last year of my life has been a roller
coaster of them. Lows have been the challenges that come when starting your own business from the ground up. So many things I didn’t know that I didn’t know. I love being the creative director behind my brand, but there are so sooo many other factors for successful business I never knew because it wasn’t my world (at the time). I had to become familiar a business side of fashion I was used to. Highs have easily been watching my collection come together after months and hours and hours of work and sleepless nights.
I wanted to cry when I did my first studio photoshoot with the collection.
Being able to hold and feel something that you spent months designing and
creating and re-designing and creating is a powerful feeling, and so
rewarding. It felt like everything I had wanted in my career since I was a
little girl playing dress up (which, I spent most of my childhood doing)
came together in that moment. And they’re not even launched yet! I cannot
wait for more of those experiences once they launch.
6. So you have a new collection coming out? Tell us more about that?
Yes! Lady by Mykel Elizabeth launches June 29th of this year. This launch
will be my signature collection launching as the Mykel Collection. It has been my dream my entire life to design my own styles for me to wear,
let alone styles that hundreds of women will get to wear. It’s so special
to me. My entire heart has been put into this.
7. Tell us something that would surprise many people about your craft
It is so much more work than I ever thought it would be, and I don’t think
people really understand the sacrifice that has to take place to really get
what you want long term.
And I think something else is how expensive starting a brand is!
8. Apart from your own collection, what designer would you happily dress you everyday?
TED BAKER, hands down! I feel in love with Ted Baker Designs in 2014 and
there is not one piece I wouldn’t wear.
9. We’ve all heard about how hot Arizona is, does that influence how you dress? We have noticed a lot of shots in the desert…
Yes and no. I’ve always been impractical with what I wear, so Arizona
hasn’t changed that 😉
10. When is the new collection coming out?
June 29th 2019 is the launch date of my signature pieces, and then many
more to come after that.
Follow Elizabeth on her instagram HERE
Pictures by @vicariouslycatie and @nicoledawnphoto
________________________________________________________
No Comments Yet!
You can be first to leave a comment