Meet Amber Bennett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Bennett.

Hi Amber, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been a creative entrepreneur. The first creative business I remember having was making custom tote bags at 11 years old. I used to buy canvas tote bags from Michaels or Joann and do a unique free-hand design and iron on a photo of the customer’s choice. Before that, I used to make hand-sewn dolly clothes for my friends. My love for designing sewing grew even more at the age of 13 when I first learned how to work a home sewing machine. I would make clothes for myself and started making and selling bow ties. I always loved thrifting around LA and so I would by clothes that had really unique prints and created new pieces with them. I started my first cut-and-sew fashion line when I graduated college. I later decided to transform that business into more of a photography outlet. I started my current business Eyerie Findz During the pandemic. I did not plan on making and selling masks but there was such a demand for them at the time that became the bulk of my business plus it felt odd at the time to be focusing on clothes when most people really weren’t going anywhere.

As the pandemic began to die down, I was able to get back to creating based on inspiration from my everyday life… I started doing reversible Bucket Hats which became necessary for taking walks with my daughter or trips to the beach, Matching Sets, Mommy and Me and family look inspired by my own desire to match with my daughter and husband. I even started doing swimwear which was something I always avoided because I tend to enjoy working with woven materials best. My biggest inspiration in creating comes from nature. There is so much diversity in nature so many unique patterns that occur seemingly spontaneously but there is always some design behind it that might not be obvious at first glance.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not always a smooth road at all. I tend to be more left-brain. I am very into the creative side of things so I had to and still have to be intentional about learning more about the business side of things like marketing, taxes, accounting, profit margins, etc.

There are also times where inspiration is not as plentiful as usual which sometimes is a reminder to just take a break or switch up my environment to get another spark going again. I find that spending time in nature or just going somewhere I have never been before inspired me in new ways and get the gears in my head turning again.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Well, I really do many things but I would say I curate and create. I curate vintage and modern clothing and accessories that I sell and upcycle or rework into new masterpieces. I also curate unique fabrics from thrift shops to fabric shops all over LA and the world through my travels. Some would say I am a fabric hoarder haha.

I also create bespoke rarity pieces. Because of my pattern choices, everything I create from my clothing to my mini reversible knot bags and everything in between are each unique. I love to collaborate with other artists and creatives. I’ve worked with artists like amindi, creating one of one piece for her mercy collection and I create custom sewing patterns and samples for other creatives starting out or expanding their own fashion lines.

I do a bit of teaching as well one on one with individuals who are passionate about learning how to sew using a sewing machine, make patterns on illustrator, or any of the other hard skills I have acquired along my creative entrepreneurial journey. One of my very first students who I showed the basics of the sewing machine back in college, Wale Akinbiyi actually has a successful brand, River Is Wild. I’m very humble to have been a part of his journey and continue to be inspired by his creativity and business savvy as well. I hope to teach many others in the future the craft of sewing. One of my dreams is to create a sewing academy for young entrepreneurs and creatives like myself who want to use the skill of sewing to start businesses of their own or even just as a hobby.

I also aim to inspire other creatives to create and share their work. So many of us have hidden talents that we are sometimes bashful to share with others. I hope those who witness my creativity are also inspired to find that creative bone in their bodies, share with others and let it flow organically.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see my industry becoming more digital like many other industries. I see a world of virtual fashion for things like the metaverse and more high-tech machines. On the same token, I see a demand for the older textiles and the desire to reconnect with the old way of doing things by hand and from scratch, the further our society delves into the world of the internet and metaverse.

I’m hoping that in the future with the advancement of fashion tech we will be able to create with more sustainable materials and best practices. I also hope we can make recycled and tailored fashion more of a trend and really reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.EyerieFindz.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/eyeriefindz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eyerie.findz/

Image Credits
@bam_bam717, @krisi_mills, @anna.baker