Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian T. Whalley.
Ian, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always had an eye for clothes and a passion for it so I decided to further my skills and knowledge. My journey in fashion truly started when I enrolled at FIDM LA. Throughout my schooling I had a few internships ranging from product developer to styling, working for a few big name celebs along the way. Since I graduated in Fall of 2018, I’ve put all of my focus into my personal styling and as of lately, my online vintage retail space. I’m always dabbling in whatever I can related to the fashion industry.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but anything that comes easy isn’t any fun. While in school my main focus was to do well and graduate, and in order to do so I had to put my internships and personal hands on work on the back burner. The fashion industry moves quickly and really tests you, but overall it has helped me refine my own style and approach on my creative endeavors.
Muted Gems – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Muted Gems is an online retail space where I have turned my personal passion for vintage clothing into a business. Born from an overflow of pieces I had from shoots and some select options from my own wardrobe, it has evolved into a platform where all my interests collide: beautiful vintage clothing, a user-friendly layout, and a one-stop shop designed to heighten and simplify the retail experience. Each piece is unique and curated by me, trying to provide clothing I don’t tend to see in brick-and-mortar stores and other online shops. At this time, I operate solely via Depop and Instagram.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I have had the privilege and opportunity to work with many artists in the upper echelons of their respective fields, and my proudest moment was working with one particular Grammy Award-winning artist and her styling team. It was a wonderful learning experience at the highest level of styling, and the lessons I took away from it I have used to better curate my own collection.
Contact Info:
- Website: depop.com/mutedgems
- Phone: 6264844736
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/mutedgems instagram.com/iantwhalley
Image Credit:
Neil Favila, Milena Costanza, Ethan Prins
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