EVERYONE CAN BE A STAR
ABOUT
BELLA
A quick look into how I came up with RELUXXBYBELLA
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I started educating myself on the large corporations exploiting sweatshop workers all around the globe and as a fashion enthusiast, I felt somewhat responsible for feeding into it. But I loved having new clothes and expressing myself? So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make the garments I desired myself. Which wasn't easy in the slightest. I've spent months and months trying to teach myself how to manipulate fabric. I knew I wanted to curate my own brand but I spent so much time on each piece I refused to sell. Yes I have attachment issues, well not literally.
For the past year I've been using all my energy to make my art regardless of what the "fashion market" wanted. This was when my craft flourished. I didn't think of who my customer would be, how much I could profit, or most importantly I didn't take any short-cuts. I made my art. The way I wanted. I didn't care about how it would be perceived by consumers or what was "in." I made what made me feel like I stood out and made me proud. There was no better feeling than stepping out in an outfit I had found, cut, manipulated, ironed, sewn and styled. After the tears, dedication, and sleepless nights. I finally brought myself to share my creations with the fashion world. .
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How did I get here?
Well, I fell in love with self expression through fashion at a young age. I got my first job in retail to pay for my clothing addiction. I refused to pay the absurd retail prices without an employee discount. After spending five years keeping up with the latest "trends" and accumulating mass amounts, I knew something needed to change.
THRIFTING
In 2022 I soon learned to hate the modern retail clothes and fashion industry as I felt I wasn't expressing myself enough. I yearned for more unique pieces. I started thrifting religiously and finding one of a kind vintage pieces. This made me fall in love with fashion all over again. I went to my local GoodWill every week to find new treasures only I would have. I spent hours and hours searching for gold. That's when I realized how much money I had wasted on retail clothing. I started to see my style flourish into all sorts of different sub-styles rather than one niche. I especially loved the personality in the clothes that had been enjoyed by a stranger before making it into my hands. I loved all these clothes so much more than my cheap overprices fast fashion. Soon, even thrifting wasn't original enough for me as GoodWill hardly had vintage and fast fashion was rapidly taking over the racks. Through my love for thrifting I started thinking outside the box. There were so many pre-loved clothes and I could see their potential. Rather than ending up in a landfill, I could turn them into art. There was something liberating about taking all these clothes with wear and tear and being able to recycle them.
WHY UPCYCLING IS THE FUTURE OF FASHION
I learned a lot about the screwed up industry fashion is today. I figured it to be my job to educate myself on something I wanted to impact. Although it seems as if it doesn't affect you or your every day life, fashion is killing your planet too. Every fast fashion order is cheap because the women, children, and people who made it aren't getting paid a livable wage. Not only that, but most fabric is made from plastic now. That may seem like a non-issue to you but it's extremely toxic to your body. It is not only our job as consumers to know what goes into the products we buy but why we are buying them. Did your favorite celebrity post it and now you have to have it? Do you keep seeing the same AD over and over? I'm not expecting much from adding this textbox I'm thankful for it to even be read. All I ask is next time you click the checkout button on a site, think about who you want to give your hard earned money to.
SPECIAL THANK YOU
Although I have been able to bring my vision to life, I haven't been able to do it without the support of many creatives, friends, photographers, models and family. Each person truly touched my heart and made all of this possible. I will never be able to thank you enough.
MODELS
@boujee.syriaa
@nychclark
@noahiams
@kat_chauu
@jesscompri
@andreysilvaduenas
PHOTOGRAPHERS
@maitland.jpeg
@matijamilly
@sarborioprojects
@moshi_films
@_joshmejia
There would be no RELUXX without you
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THANK YOU
FAMILY and FRIENDS
My Dad, Mom
for unconditional support to follow my dreams
Ellie, Mister
for answering all my facetimes
Sasha
for letting me turn our apartment into a sewing studio
Luisa
for helping me with the website
Andrey
for modeling all my products
Natalia
for all your amazing feedback
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EXCLUSIVE SUSTAINABILITY
HAND SOURCED VINTAGE
Each individual denim scrap I chose with care. Hours in thrift shops, mystery bags, even my own closet scraps. Each pre-loved crewneck sweater chosen by me to be renovated. I personally saw the potential in each garment.
EXCEPTIONAL DETAIL
All pieces have every thread in consideration. Each star hand-drawn. Each thread a different color. Each placed in a puzzle fashion. I envisioned, drew, cut, ironed, and sewed each detail personally. No star the same as the last. There is no recreating RELUXX
ECO-CONSCIOUS INNOVATION
Every material was given a brighter life. From looked at as tattered and ruined I saw beauty. There is too much waste in this world to not do what I can to make it better. Even if it's just slightly. Supporting RELUXX is supporting the future.
POSITIVE APPROACH
Educating myself and others on how bad the fashion industry has gotten can be dark. The state of fashion is in a money-grab micro-trend decline. Although it seems bleak, I use my knowledge and passion to change the dark outlook. RELUXX is proof authenticity will always win.