Life & Work with Heidi Abra

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Abra. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always loved art & design, but I didn’t have a particular plan on starting my own design business. There was never a magic moment I “decided.” It was a completely organic process.

After spending 6 years as a model and traveling around the world, I enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts to study fine art photography. Modeling in Europe gave me the opportunity live full-time in Paris and Italy, where I delved into art, architecture, history, and travel when I wasn’t working. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue creatively, only that I wanted to be creative and make a living doing what I loved. I decided to start enroll in art college to study one of my passions which was photography and see where that led me.

While I was studying fine art and photography at Cal Arts, I began designing and hand-making jewelry using gorgeous antique Czechoslovakian glass beads. Immediately people wanted to buy the jewelry I was making, and stores then wanted to carry my work. While I love fine art and find my inspiration there, I found that I enjoyed creating something beautiful and functional that a person could wear and interact with every day. This was the beginning of having a direction and clear expression for my creativity. My jewelry design organically led me to other creative expressions, including a full line of clothing and creating my own Boutique in West Hollywood. A few years ago, I pivoted to sell exclusively from my online shop. I love the freedom it allows me to travel and continue absorbing inspiring beauty.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think anyone in the arts has a “smooth road” with their chosen career. I think I’ve been very lucky and I’m grateful for my success. The more I stay in my truth and in my heart with what I create, the more success I’ve had. Whenever I deviate from my own inner voice, it never works out. I think that’s the case with most creative people, whether they are designers, writers, painters, etc.

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?
I create everything with Beauty in mind. Beauty is a philosophy for me. Not a superficial kind of beauty, but a beauty that includes everyone and everything. Beauty reflects one’s soul and radiates outward. My work is not about trends or fashion but timeless beauty in whatever form that takes.

Since my beginnings, all my pieces are hand made by either myself or skilled artisans and craftspeople. My designs have always been either one-of-a-kind or made in limited editions.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice for those starting out in design is this, you do not need a lot of money or infrastructure to start! Start small, and learn while you grow. I get bored easily and thrive by experimenting with something new. From jewelry design to accessories, to clothing, to designing my Boutique and the furniture in it, and so on. You may start out in one area of design and pivot later to another.

There isn’t anything I wished I knew before starting out. I think too much information about what to expect can cripple you from moving forward. I never studied fashion design in school, and yet my collections were carried by Neiman Marcus, Maxfield, Bergdorf Goodman, and stores all over the world. I think we are better off NOT thinking we have limits or life has look a certain way, or that you need repeat what others have done to be successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heidiabra.com
• Instagram: @Heidi_Abra
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidi.abra

Image Credits
Emilie Elizabeth
Ryan Forbes
Andrew Durham