A Way of Remembering...the route of creating is never linear
in constant conversation with 2016 me, fashion baby, her heartbreak and finding my way back to making beautiful things..
In 2016 I had the idea to open my own Etsy shop to offer a custom hand embroidery service for worn out clothes “Ronaé Makes”.
Not groundbreaking and before the internet comes for me, I’m aware this isn’t an original idea but I was constantly embroidering my own jeans at the time, esp the skinny jeans that forever wore out in the inner thigh (ouuf, them thighs!)
I had a few orders but nothing that got me busy, I was trying to build something away from the mainstream that was slower whilst the sustainability conversation wasn’t that big at the time. I had no idea what I was doing and at the time had been working my ASSS off in different ateliers & design studios for months at a time only to be told “sorry we just don’t have the budget for full time staff, thanks for your help”
read: We’ve capped the legal amount of free/low wage labour we can get from you now so we have to move onto the next, byeeee
Anyway, the past year I’ve been working closely with my therapist, partner and friends as I unravel my internal sneaky creative gremlin that has cut my ideas off at the feet before they can properly take root. That thing I’m sure I’m not alone in - I’m really great at working for other people, building their dreams but when it comes to my own ideas I’m suddenly a piece of actual 💩 - bizarre. This being affirmed by the way entry level designers are rotated through studios like rotisserie chickens in a supermarket didn’t really help either.
Uncovering that that whole experience was a form of heartbreak has been interesting. Applying that term to my career felt a bit dramatique and unnecessary. But the more I remember creativity comes from my inner world, its always an idea that I’m giving birth to in my own unique way.. it becomes clearer and clearer. Of course that was heartbreak, a dream I poured my whole self into without any doubts, from the age of 10, did what I thought I was supposed to to stay “on track” only to be smacked with the reality of a heavily unregulated industry that functions off of exploitative labour. DUH
Anywayyy, this shop idea from the past had come back to me as I’ve recently been asked if I could help a fellow creative (a brilliant jeweller) with reviving an Aquascutum coat. Bagged at a sample sale years ago but has neverr worn due to significant staining. A lot of the time staining isn’t that visible under the shop floor lighting, we see much clearer at home.
So, it’s been sat in her wardrobe untouched and a bit of a dud piece. We’ve been discussing possible appliqué, embellishment, embroidery - she’s really open to all possible visuals. This for me is an exciting project, bring something back to life thats desperately wanting to be worn.
It’s funny I had this idea but none of the confidence to keep my shop open when my vision wasn’t seen (also I probably wasn’t as hot on marketing comms back in the day) yet here I am nearly 10yrs later, deep in the world of ethical fashion and taking on a commission with the very same embroidery service idea I had back in 2016.
Scroll down for my OG shop description and a few pieces I’ve done - eep, bless 2016 Ron.
R x
