Today we’d like to introduce you to Tabitha Andelin.
Hi Tabitha, 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 started back in 2017. I had worked for about a year for a small company in downtown LA. I left that job to start the clothing line. It was so early in my career that I didn’t have anything to lose. I also had this internal voice pushing and urging me to develop my artistic expression. It’s funny, now in 2022 I still hear the same internal voice pushing, most likely because I still have so much artistic expression to develop.
Allowing space for that learning and growing is kind of how I run my business. Everything I make is either a one-off (only to be used in a fashion show, photo shoot campaign, or any single-use artistic event) or made in very small sets.
Because everything is small-scale, I can preserve the autonomy to basically create and explore whatever inspires or intrigues me in a given time period. To this day, I have only made at most 3 of the same garments. I’m doing this not because I don’t know how to scale the business, but (full transparency) I don’t know what I’m scaling.
Which brings us to the present, where I am continuing the pursuit of artistic development. Some people might think, “Wow Tabitha, that’s a long time. Maybe just stick to an aesthetic or plan?”. For me, developing a business or brand is not the most important thing. It’s preserving the art of letting a designer grow something so deeply profound and inspiring and that can take a lifetime.
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?
Oh, “smooth” is not how I would describe my journey! Challenging and rewarding are what I am experiencing and I think most people would relate to that. Without giving too much away, I myself have definitely been my biggest obstacle. Figuring out how to work with myself is something I’m trying to get better at.
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 have kind of a simple answer for what sets me apart from others. It’s not that I’m doing something special or innovative. There are a lot of people doing innovative or special things. I think if you dig down deep enough, the thing that will always set you apart is your individuality. In artistic businesses that is so important, which lines up with why I take personal artistic development so seriously.
For the second question, what I am most proud of is how environmentally conscious I have been able to become. I only purchase deadstock fabric and I even repair trims to be used again. For example, I’ll take the time to repair a zipper or if I sample with a zipper or special trim I’ll take it off the muslin and use it again in the final garment. Little things like that I am so proud of because it makes the integrity of thoughtful sustainability run so much more deeply.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Try pop-up shops! The face-to-face interaction is so genuine when networking. It’s old school but there are a lot of affluent people walking the streets of DTLA that are always interested in new designers!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tabithaandelin.com
- Instagram: @tabithaandelin
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/tabithaandelinclothing
- Twitter: @tabithaandelin
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCj_9Q2C8o4HzzjJ6M2zwiOg
Image Credits
Girl in yellow denim set – @keylimefly, @cam.whaley_, @miaabrown Girl at beach – Style by @S.asile, Photo @andres.mcrea, Model @skyestracke Winter runway photos – @julesroques Green leaves photo – Patrick Rivera Photos
