I was recently interviewed by writer and artist Becky Hunter for her 30 days of drawing blog-a-thon. She asked great questions about the relationship between fashion, art, and drawing and what it’s like to be a designer. This is a repost – the original interview can be found here. Thanks Becky!

You’re a designer, blogger, artist: how does drawing inform your work?

Drawing, for me, is the moment before “everything else” comes in to inform my work as a designer aside from raw inspiration. As a designer, the main thing I think about is whether our designs will be bought by the target consumer. Before all that comes in, I draw to test out ideas, see ideas start to form on paper. I think imagination is where it all starts, and drawing is the first realization of that. That’s why we all draw as kids. Drawing, to me, is also very relaxing – it’s when I really let loose before “design” starts.

Do you think it’s possible for anyone to learn to draw, kinda like riding a bike, or do you have to have a knack for it? Or is it a bit of both, perhaps?

I definitely think its a bit of both. I think some people naturally have an eye for drawing like I did when I was a kid. I can say though that without constant practice, the person who has perseverance will reign over anyone else. Especially in drawing and art being as objective as it is, people I find respond far more to passion than they do to technical skill. I think passion adds exponentially to skill. Also, willingness to learn and risk-taking counts for something.

What comes first for you, drawing or working with fabric? Do you tend to draw out designs before making them, or are the two processes interchangeable?

Definitely interchangeable. I go back and forth between the two constantly until the two meld perfectly with my vision. I think I usually start with really rough designs and a rough idea of fabrics. Then I usually go out and find fabrics. At this point is where I really get inspired with textiles, and that’s when I find most of my designs become realized. And then I keep going and going until it all fits together; it’s a very organic and free process. I can never really imagine how something is going to turn out until the fabrics.

Do you think art/fashion is a luxury or a necessity?

Both. To me, art is more of a luxury and that is why I got into design, because for me it is a way to translate artistic idea and inspiration into something that people can wear. And going deeper, I think there is still a divergence – Clothing is a necessity, fashion is a luxury. When I design, I try to aim for luxury that satisfies the necessary, more abstract needs that we have as humans; beauty, practicality, and story. But really, the ability to enjoy fashion is open to everyone, a necessity that anyone can turn into a luxury, and that’s what creativity and expression is all about. Luxury isn’t money; to me it is abstract value, whether it’s emotive or practical.

Why do you think there has been such a resurgence of interest in traditional methods and techniques, such as drawing, painting and etching in recent contemporary art?

I liken this to what has happened in the fashion industry. We’ve become so commercialized and “fast” fashion really has made its name in the industry. There is only so far we can go before we can’t go any faster. So I think people, designers, are consciously trying to meet the unrealized needs of the populous, to bring back traditional methods in a modern way, whether in design, production, or both. (See: P.S. I Made This, and Etsy). Old is new again because we have become so used to fast fashion that perhaps designers feel a certain ennui – how do all the small designers who have something to say compete with the big players like Zara and H&M? They don’t. Instead, they find their own niches. No one can do it faster and cheaper, and consumers have gotten so used to this fast fashion economy. Value has to come from something else.

I’m not a fine artist, but I think overall the reason why there is a resurgence of interest in traditional methods is the same; it’s a way of fighting back against the big players who have monopolized the industry and commercialized it until one almost feels as if there is no more magic left in art or design.

This is something that affects my work as a designer. I’m always thinking, what can I do that no one else can do exactly the way I do it? What brings me joy so that I can translate this joy into clothing for others?