Meet Sasha Woods

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sasha Woods. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sasha below.

Hi Sasha, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from literally finding the good in all things, even the bad ones. An refusing to make an excuse about anything. Growing up I had alot of situations occur that taught me how to survive and if things don’t go as planned to keep getting up daily and try again. Never give up. From the time I started Pre-K throughout high school I experienced being bullied and picked on for many different reasons. What kids seen as a physical flaw was actually a physical disability that affects my daily living. I’m legally blind in my right eye due to trauma to the eye that occurred as a kid. At the age of 10yrs old my life changed in seconds. Over the years I’ve had over 12 surgeries trying to correct many different issues that occurred from the trauma. At this very moment I still deal with the side effects from the trauma, extreme pain that occurs at any moment and can last for hours. Also I am super sensitive to light. I refuse to let that get in the way of my purpose and my day to day life. By day I’m a Hospice CNA providing care and support to patients who are at the end of life. By night I’m a Fashion Artist (Accessory Designer) whose love for creating outside the box bazar accessories that people didn’t even know they needed in their fashion collection. I know how hard it is to look different physically with no control over the matter. So I’ve embraced it and have spent my entire fashion career expressing the importance of being outside the box, different, and creating your own trend. I found a love for taking what others seen as junk (having no beauty) and turning it into a statement piece that you will be addicted to, leaving you wanting more. Which is where I got the name of my brand from The Ultimate Junki.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Sasha Woods also known as Queen Junki is 36 years old. Originally from Asheboro, NC but her family moved to High Point, NC her 8th grade year of middle school. She is a graduate of Lucy Ragsdale High School who currently resides in Greensboro NC. By day she is a Certified Nursing Assistant (for Hospice). By night she is a Published International Accessory Designer. Whose main focus is breaking barriers and inspiring other designers like herself right here in NC, to continue to follow their dreams even if they don’t make a category for your artistry.

The name of her brand is The Ultimate Junki. She hand makes, handcraft, and hand paints one of a kind some to never be duplicated accessories. Sasha is known for her bazar, outrageous, over the top editorial accessories.

Sasha has won Greensboro Goodwill Rock the Runway accessory edition competition, making a clutch with matching earrings out of a 100% newspaper in 2016. Sasha also won ISAFARI Fashion Week (ISFW) designer competition in 2016 showcasing her work for the first time on the runway. She later went on to showcasing her work at Winston Salem Fashion Week (WSFW) as the 1st accessory designer to have her own lineup on the runway. In 2017 she also showcase her work in Fashion Spark in Raleigh, NC with a full lineup. Four years in a row she showcase her work at the Big Hair Ball Charity Fundraiser event put on by Guilford County Family Services annually. She has also showcased in children’s fashion shows and more throughout the years.

Sasha’s work has also been displayed in News and Records newspaper, Yes Weekly, several fashion magazines in the U.S and international, and so much more.

In 2023 Sasha’s Headpieces/Crowns were seen in a collaboration with a clothing designer in New York Fashion Week at Gotham Hall. She created over 80 pieces and they all were used on the runway.

In 2017 after being told by many fashion shows in the area that she wasn’t a designer and had no place in their fashion show all because, she didn’t make clothes. She built her own fashion show that is surrounded by her accessories. This event was called Junki Accessory Freak Show, its the 1st full fledged outside the box accessory fashion show in Greensboro, NC.

In October of 2022 Sasha created a group called Get In The Mix Fashion Meetup, on her current platform. This group is for ages 16+ individuals who are apart of the fashion community. This includes fashion designers, models, muas, hairstylist, and photographers. The group is to network, collaborate, vibe, and showcase the art of fashion. The group is FREE to fashion creators. To get involve in fashion events, community, out of state opportunities, and so much more. To gain access look up group on Facebook.

In 2023 she received ACESW AWARD (ARTIST OF EXCELLENCE) 23′. For the work she has done and continues to do in her community.

“Her DISABILITY WON’T HINDER her”

Sasha is legally blind in her right eye and deals with other complications from it. Although she encounters days and moments where the pain takes over and she can not see to create at all. Sasha has turned her pain into a super power. Demostarting her resilience she is able to create one of kind pieces on the runway blind folded or not. Showing the versatility of her God given gift and not allowing her disability to box her in.

In her runway presentations she has a unique style of taking regular everyday items and constructing them into a statement pieces on the runway. She is also known for her two sided reversible bib necklace presentation as well. In 2023 Sasha Woods was blindfolded live and created a full statement piece necklace out of scraps.

Although Sasha is known for her runway demonstrations, the message has always been the same. “Barriers are created to be broken not to box you in”.

Sasha Woods is also an artist who uses her platform to spread unity, teach the importance of networking, give other artists a platform to showcase their gift/talent, and to help others to follow their dreams no matter what obstacles stand in their way. Sasha absolutely adores the art of fashion and pays attention to the details that go into making a remarkable piece of wearable art. In her words “Don’t box yourself in. Create something that makes you stand out. That leaves your work at the forefront of their minds. That makes your gift irresistible. It’s okay to be different. Matter of fact embrace being weird!”

Sasha is hosting The Art of Fashion Project
A 5 week project starting October 1st-November 4th, 2024. The focus is Fashion, Unity, Community, Support, and Authenticity. Five weeks of free classes, networking, introducing local fashion artists, fashion exhibits, workshops, and more. All free and open to the public. In the GROW Residency at 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro, NC.

Sasha Woods is a accessory designer who aspires to keep breaking barriers and inspiring others to follow their dreams. None of this is possible alone. I refuse to take created for my gift. I owe it all to God. He gets all the praise and honor.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

If I had to say my top 3 qualities/skills I feel all fashion artist need are:

Determination: Never giving up, take no for an answer, or allow others space/time to tell you what you arent. Don’t ever give up on yourself. You are the jewel.

Consistency: Keep creating even when others are looking over you or don’t see you at all.

Grace: Be patient and kind to yourself. It’s ok if you haven’t arrived to the place you want to be. You’re doing amazing!

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When I’m overwhelmed I take a step back and unplug from everything. Not only do I relax. I get in my Bible and remind myself of who God saids I am and what he has called me to be/do. I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength. This is where I find peace and joy is in him. Being overwhelmed becomes a thing of the past.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Linktr.ee/Theultimatejunki

Image Credits

Vince Artz Photography
Suzanne Snuggs Photography