Today we’d like to introduce you to Vlada Strange.
Vlada, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have been designing and making costumes and fashion for as long as I can remember. I started by re-constructing vintage clothing for myself, in middle school, when I still lived in Russia… Then when I was 15, I moved to the US with my family.
After high school, I went to fashion school (FIDM) and then began my career in fashion and costume, but I slowly started to become more and more disappointed in the current ways of the Fashion Industry. The big fashion brands are very wasteful, their items are cheaply made… made not to last long, often are just copycat fashion and made in horrible conditions without any fair wages… It did not make me happy as an artist or as a conscious person. Something needed to be done…
Meanwhile, I found the love of my life in Elvis, and we had our first child Valkyrie a little over two years ago. They are both a huge inspiration to me. I wanted to dress this little bundle of joy in the coolest looking clothes… But… There is not much cool looking stuff for kids, as most of it is gender-based and generic.
And that’s when I started to design kids clothing by re-construction of vintage items, cool band t-shirts..stuff out of our closets or items that I find at thrift stores. I went back to my original design ideas that I had when I was in middle school, and that is what inspired me a lot. I started to get a lot of compliments from other moms and random people on the street about the clothes I made for Valkyrie and her fashion look.
So, I decided to create something that will help other parents dress their kids cool. We are launching a YouTube show called “Baby Strange DIY” that I am the Host of and I teach a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a strange and punk-rock baby and children’s clothing using items that you probably already have laying around your house or can easily get at the thrift store.
I try to make it very easy and explain all the details, so pretty much anyone can do it. I also provide super-easy patterns with different sizes. The mission of “Baby Strange DIY” is to inspire the viewer in creating unique and eco-aware fashions for their babies, kids and themselves.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest challenge along the way has been my energy level as I am currently pregnant with baby number two. This pregnancy has been hard with some health issues and not being able to work for six months. But I am trying to channel more inner strength as I realize that not everything can be done at once. Sometimes things have to be done slowly, but steady, and taking baby steps is what I decided to do. It is not a bad thing to take a slow pace in this contemporary crazy fast moving world.
Please tell us about Baby Strange.
Of course there needed to be an option of buying an already made product, in case the particular item seems a bit challenging at the time. So I am also launching my baby and children’s brand “Baby Strange” that is made in Los Angeles with fabrics that are “dead stock.” (leftover fabrics from various big companies that would go into a landfill if not sold).
I try to stick with natural fibers like cotton and rayon that much more environmentally friendly and much better to be close to your child’s skin. I pay fair wages to people who help me make the products and make sure it is always the best quality. I design all the clothes myself and do all the patterns and sizing, I make my own samples.
Me and my husband drive around dead-stock fabric and trim stores and find perfect fabrics, And I do have a sewer that helps me with the production. We are a total start-up out of garage kind of company at the moment, but I am really excited about this new chapter of my life.
We film the show “Baby Strange DIY” out of the garage as well, just me and my good friend Kirsten Wagner, who is my producer, director, camera lady, sound lady and many more (she wears many hats).
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wouldn’t do anything differently as I believe that everything happens for a reason. Every single moment in your life means something and teaches you a lesson.
It is preparing you for the next step and for everything you asked for. The most important part is never give up and always remember where you started. This helps you to keep going and to accomplish more goals.
It is a very exciting moment in my life as I feel like I am finally giving birth to the project that has all the important parts of my life: Family, Kids, Fashion, Eco- and Social consciousness with my unique style and design. I feel strong in my success as a woman entrepreneur and member of the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.babystrange.us
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babystrangeofficial/
Image Credit:
Kirsten Wagner
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