Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Taylor
Hi Anna, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have always loved fashion- my earliest memories are of hiding clothing that I didn’t want to wear from my mom in the depths of my closet, hoping she was unaware of my hatred for the turtleneck top my grandma got me for Christmas. Although my fashion sense wasn’t quite “developed” at that point, expressing myself through aesthetics is a value that still defines me today as a model and entrepreneur. Although I had figured out at a young age that fashion was my purpose in life, I had no idea how to go about getting involved in the industry as a professional. Every spare dollar earned from babysitting was spent on clothes and crafting supplies for my creations, but despite my efforts to tap into my creativity, I knew nothing about high fashion. My first encounter with the fashion world was when I walked for Utah Fashion Week at age 15. This experience only confirmed my need to be continuously developing my personal style. Since then, I have launched a modeling career and started a clothing brand. My creative process has been an integral part of my decision-making for a lot of important life decisions and is something that defines me and my values.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have faced a lot of roadblocks in the creative process, specifically related to my brand. It’s hard to get to the point where you feel confident enough in your art to share it with not just your peers but strangers on the internet. Art is such a vulnerable expression of your true self because it is intrinsically the essence of who you are, and of course you’ll be scared at first for people to see that. But the artists who aren’t scared to show who they really are are the ones that stick out and are able to really find their own people who will resonate with their work. Blending in and adapting to the norms that society pushes on us won’t get you anywhere. Successful people have the most haters! I have to remind myself daily to keep pushing and remaining consistent. When it comes to struggles in the creative process, sometimes you just have to start doing the thing and the inspiration will come to you once you start working toward your goal.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
A lot of my time in the creative world is centered around modeling, both on the runway and in the studio. I get to collaborate with the coolest photographers and creative directors that have inspired me greatly throughout my creative journey. I just launched my clothing brand a couple of weeks ago and have invested a lot of time and care into this project! It’s sort of a take on cyber-esque streetwear with influence from the grunge scene. I spent months fine-tuning my logos and graphics before I was ready to share them with others in the industry, and another couple of months finding the perfect blanks to use. I want this brand to be known for quality over quantity, so I hand-select my blanks and heat-press my designs onto them. In the future, I hope to expand to more pieces, but for this first drop, I started with heavyweight 6.5 oz garment-dyed tees as my base. I spent hours upon hours learning JavaScript and CSS just so I could design my website exactly how I wanted it, down to the most minute detail. It’s easy to take shortcuts and do the bare minimum, but I want this brand to reflect my passion for my creative work. I’ve had a lot of fun in the past few weeks shooting content for the website and Instagram page, and I’m so excited to share it with everyone! I’m proud of all the work I have put in and my growth toward being my most authentic self when it comes to my art. I hope to only grow from here and keep releasing more products that remind people to go against the grain. The name “Nemesis” reflects the idea that the only way to grow and develop is to question everything. Be an enemy of societal norms, and don’t believe everything anyone tells you. It’s good to question things, to be weird, to be vulnerable. You never know who might resonate with or be inspired by your struggles and your accomplishments alike.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The fashion world is changing rapidly in both the small independent industry, and on the other side of the scale, the massive fast fashion industry. Fast fashion has a very harmful effect on the creative world, especially when it comes to fashion design. Designers who are investing so much of their personal resources into getting brand exposure are being taken advantage of by large fast fashion brands who steal these designs and have the means to mass produce. These independent designers are the ones who are setting trends for the general public, and most people don’t think twice about buying an H&M or Urban Outfitters shirt that is a direct rip-off of a small designer. Most consumers aren’t even aware of the disparity. Even some major labels such as Balenciaga have been accused of doing this. I hope social media keeps keeping people and brands accountable for their actions. It has the potential to be a great tool for designers to go viral and gain followers or exposure where they might not otherwise have been able to. Regardless, in the future, I think creativity and personal taste/aesthetics are going to continue to be important with the technological advancements in artificial intelligence. Although designers will have to adapt to these changes in technology so as not to get left behind, nothing will ever be able to replace good taste. Beauty is such an all-encompassing, fascinating, subjective part of the human experience– I don’t believe it can truly be appreciated through imitated creativity (whether by AI or by uninventive retailers).
Pricing:
- Nemesis logo tees: $39 + shipping
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nemesisgarments.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onnataylorr/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/nemesisgarments/
