Starilized: A Contemporary Fashion Gem
Starilized is a tribal-inspired fashion line that was started in a college dorm. With over six thousand Instagram followers, and increased brand awareness, Starilized is not only a brand that you should be on the lookout for, but you should definitely consider one of their intricate designed pieces for your next outfit. This past week, I got the opportunity to sit down with the Designer and Founder of Starilized Patricia. Below is an overview of our interview:
What inspired you to begin Starilized?
I've always had a thing for jewelry and accessories. I used to like going through my mom's jewelry pieces and wondering how the designer got the piece together. In high school, I started collecting my own jewelry. During my freshman and sophomore years in college, I taught myself how to make things like button earrings and beaded bracelets. During my junior year, I was invited to sell some of my creations at a charity organization on campus' African Marketplace. 10% of the proceeds from my sales at the event went to the charity they were raising money for. (I later ended up joining that organization) Fast forward to the summer before my senior year, I modeled in Africa Fashion Week. I connected with one of the makeup artists who did my makeup and one of the models who had a camera and was taking pictures. We came together to do a styled shoot using some of my creations. The images from the shoot were so impressive that people kept telling me to make a website and sell my pieces. During the first week of my senior year, I chose a name, created a website, put some of the images from the shoot there and the online shop came to life.
Who is Starilized for?
Starilized is for any individual who wants to go against the the ordinary and shine their own light with fashion. It is for people who want to effortlessly stand out and let their best self beam.
How do you gain inspiration for new designs and concepts?
I try to stay away from trends and rely on my imagination only. I have a huge imagination so I try to recreate ideas that I may have thought about recently or in the past. Apart from my imagination, I also get inspired from looking at different types of art and learning about fashion history from different African and Asian tribes.
Where do you see your brand and fashion line within the next year?
I see my brand and fashion line inspiring people to be more creative and giving more to my community here and abroad. I would also like to use more materials that are made in African and Asian countries. So far, as a start, I use stringing material bought from Aba, Nigeria to make my beaded necklaces. I also buy my fabric and some of my beads from markets there as well.
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