This is me...

One of my friends told me that I should start posting a blog on my page to personalize things a bit :)

Well, what's there to say really? My name's Nicole and I LOVE designing clothing that replicates a beautiful era gone by.

I learned to sew at a young age through my aunties and grandma. Soon after, I was taking patterns and customizing them to create the looks that I wanted and couldn't get. Either because I couldn't afford them ( I was thirteen haha) or because the area that I grew up in was too rural to carry punk rock and alternative threads. I would rummage through thrift store racks and reconstruct my finds, as well as collect vintage apparel from older relatives and vintage shops.

I finished high school early and attended the Art Institute of Seattle for a short stint studying fashion design. At the time, I felt like it was a shallow pursuit and wanted to spend my time trying to fight the injustices of the world. After spending time supporting Anti-Racist Action, exploring other interests, FINALLY completing my BA, and working with the disabled in Ventura County, I decided to return to school at FIDM in downtown Los Angeles. I'll have my professional designation degree in about a month!

In the middle of all of this craziness, I fell in love and had a baby boy last July. He's definitely completed me. It's amazing, because I would make myself crazy taking up project after project and still never felt satisfied, and like I'd done enough with myself. I had a difficult time just sitting and relaxing at the end of the day. Now, I feel complete. I relax at night, I'm an even bigger slow mover in the morning. I appreciate and enjoy life SO MUCH MORE!!!

Right now, the little man is a temperamental. Even when he does things that aggravate me, I look at his big brown-black eyes and his gigantic chubby cheeks and melt...

Anyway, my life is filled with baby, designing, attending car shows and events, sometimes I still get to go out dancing and listening to bands! I love being with my friends and family. Who doesn't? I watch old movies to get inspiration, scan vintage catalogs, and I try to attend museums to give me new ideas.

That's all for now!

XOXO