Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Rouse. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emily, so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever head any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?
As a fashion designer, I enjoy the opportunity to be creative every day. However, being full-time in my own studio can sometimes lead to tunnel vision in process and lead to creativity blocks. I often draw inspiration from art forms outside of my realm and therefore seek out ways to dive into other creatives’ shoes whenever possible. Each month, a local organization, Wheeling Heritage, offers a “First Friday Artist Spotlight” series where the community can come and learn from a featured artist. This program has allowed me to try collage, basket weaving, jewelry making, and so many other creative worlds that I may have not dug into myself. Additionally, I took a pottery class on wheel throwing just a couple of weeks ago, which I found not only fascinating, but also relaxing. It is when I am doing these other creative activities that I find myself opening up my mind to other ideas to bring back into my work in fashion.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
The first time I ever used a sewing machine was on a Girl Scout field trip as a middle schooler growing up in Wheeling, WV. I was gifted a sewing machine that year for Christmas and the rest is history. That field trip was influential in sparking my passion for sewing and fashion because without it, I never would have known it was a skill I would enjoy and could turn into a career. In August 2019, I established House of Rouse, LLC, my bespoke womenswear fashion brand with a focus on prints designed in-house. Soon following, I co-founded Edgington Studio LLC in July 2020 in my hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia, where House of Rouse collections are now produced. I am now excited to bring my experiences back home to Wheeling to build this industry locally and create opportunities for future professionals in fashion and manufacturing.
For House of Rouse, I am most excited to launch my next collection via two runway shows on the calendar this fall – my second year in Pittsburgh Fashion Week and my first time in GLAM Night Out at The Resort at Glade Springs.
For Edgington Studio, I am proud to be growing a team and teaching sewing classes! Sharing knowledge is key to keeping this industry thriving.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I think confidence, initiative, and grit have been most impactful in my journey. As an entrepreneur, the first step is essentially betting on yourself and believing you have what it takes to make your business take off. There is no playbook on how to handle each situation that comes your way, so it is up to you to take the lead and work through it. That’s where initiative comes in – if you don’t know the answer or how to do something, the ability to research is key. I always say that we live in a great time where we can access any information we are seeking. You’d be amazed how much you can teach yourself from the Internet or what you can learn by brainstorming with a colleague. Lastly, you have to be a trier. And keep trying. The more you keep at your goal, the more things will click into place, but it definitely doesn’t happen overnight.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Edgington Studio has been challenged with finding people able to sew at a time when many people aren’t even exposed to the craft anymore. Many schools have removed their home economics class, which was often the only chance kids had to learn this skill. As I did not have home economics, but was able to sew for the first time on a field trip in Girl Scouts, I know the impact that that opportunity had on me and how a similar experience could affect others. It is because of this that we work with kids and the community as much as possible to keep these skills alive. We recently had a middle school over to the studio to spend the morning working as an “assembly line” to create a product from start to finish. The best part was seeing how excited they were about their finished piece and when they were asking their teacher if they could get sewing machines for their classroom. I was then invited to speak at their career day at the end of the school year and helped two hundred kids sew a button on a swatch, which for a vast majority, was the first time they had ever done that. We offer sewing classes on your schedule and based on your skill level and hope that by opening our doors, we are inspiring and educating the community we live and work in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.houseofrouse.co
- Instagram: house.of.rouse
- Facebook: houseofrousellc
- Other: www.edgingtonstudio.com @edgingtonstudio
Image Credits
Photographer – Dillon Richardson/Wheeling Heritage
