We recently connected with NyLeah Ford and have shared our conversation below.
NyLeah, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Knowing my skill, talent, and abilities make me confident and makes me a confident designer. I studied fashion design at The Fashion Institute of Technology, where I gained skills in designing, sewing, and construction. My designs are not only beautiful, but also well constructed which make my styles lasts. I enjoy making pieces that are special, sustainable, and timeless.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a conscious fashion designer and my pieces are made to order. Clothing is not as disposable as people may think. I like to make pieces that can integrate into people’s everyday lives. They are wardrobe staples with a special flare. All of my designs are created using sustainable fabrics. The clothing on my site is made from linen, organic cotton, and bamboo.
The fashion industry is incredibly wasteful so I use my site as well as my Instagram to offer fashion lovers alternatives to buying fast fashion. I provide information on different fabrics and fibers, host style challenges, and share documentaries/books that give insight on the fashion industry. I truly want people to know that even fast fashion is far from cheap. There are people working extremely hard, not seeing their families, sacrificing their physical health in order to provide us with tee shirts for $9.99.
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?
3 skills that I find important are time management, communication, and being true to myself.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
A moment from my past that i would like to get back into is designing for people with limited mobility. In college I was a finalist in the Cerebral Palsy Foundation Design For Disability competition. I realized that getting dressed on my own every morning was something I took for granted. With this competition I actively saw that fashion is the most fun when we’re all at the party. I would love to get back into designing and structuring clothing that is easy for people of all abilities and body types.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nyleahford.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nyleahsconsciouscloset/
