Tending Creativity Podcast Episode 010 | Becoming a Fashion Designer, Sustainability and Work-Rest Balance ft. Tara Efobi
Welcome to the Tending Creativity Podcast!
Episode 10: Becoming a Fashion Designer, Sustainability and Work-Rest Balance ft. Tara Efobi
For this episode I got to talk to designer and YouTuber Tara Efobi about her journey and design work.
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In this episode we talk about:
Tara talks about her interest in fashion and creative things as a child and throughout adolescence.
Her experience in high school and being encouraged to pursue design.
Fear of pursuing your interests.
Tara's interest in film growing up and considering that as a career.
Her experience starting a YouTube channel in high school.
What YouTube was like when we were kids/in middle school (early 2000s).
Tara's decision making process when it came to going to and choosing a college.
Her college experience and the validity of different college experiences.
Her experience studying abroad.
Her experience preparing to graduate and post grad- internships, job searching, etc.
Learning about and realizing her passion for sustainability.
Looking for and choosing a fashion design internship.
What it's like advocating for sustainability in a large company.
Considering freelancing.
How Tara forms her goals for herself.
The design process and her creative process as a designer.
Tara's experience working from home this past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coping with difficult times- goal setting, planning, getting outside.
Her experience moving to Colorado and living in Colorado now.
Doing YouTube and Instagram while working full time.
What Tara does for fun just for herself - cooking, thrifting, relaxing.
The importance of rest.
Buying and missing out on pieces she designed when they get released.
Tara's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taraefobi/
Tara's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeautyJunkiessTaraE
Tara's Website: https://www.taraefobi.com/
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Host/Marissa's YouTube Channel
Transcript of the interview:
Marissa
So I was hoping that we could just start with you just introducing yourself and explaining what you do and what you're interested in.
Tara
Yeah, for sure. So my name is Tara, I studied fashion design in school. So that is my full time gig. I design women's ready to wear for a large American company, probably won't talk about them on this podcast but it's pretty easy to figure out where I work. But yeah, then also, I've always been really interested in YouTube, social media, all of that. So, I'm kind of taking a bit of an unplanned hiatus from it right now. But I will be back on my YouTube channel. That's something that I started when I was in high school. And I just always continued to update it with various, just like, usually fashion, usually beauty kind of focused, but also other sort of like lifestyle content in there too. But just like an easier place to have kind of like a real time connection with people is of course, Instagram. So that's also where I hang out a lot and sort of curate my feed and everything like that.
Marissa
Cool. So can you talk about, because I know that you said that you've been on YouTube for a while and I've seen that you have consistently been making content surrounding these interests and topics. So can you talk about like the beginnings of your interest in fashion and design? And like, how that started and the journey that that's taken for you?
Tara
Yeah, for sure. So I've kind of always been, you know, a more artsy kid, I definitely liked to draw. One of the first things I thought I wanted to be was like a cartoonist. And then over time, kind of like, I remember in the later parts of elementary school or primary school, that's when I first started was like, or what am I trying to say? That's when I first started doing like fashion illustrations and things like that. And that was one of the initial points in time when I thought maybe I would want to do fashion, but I still wasn't super sure about it. So it wasn't until I got to high school and took like a sewing class, basically to kind of, like home economics class. And one of my teachers just pointed out kind of like some potential in me that I thought, "Well, you know", I was still kind of like, "I don't know how realistic a job in fashion is, but sure, I'll kind of like think about this through high school." And then eventually, when it came time to thinking about college, I was, I knew I at that point, I wanted to go into fashion, but I didn't know if I wanted to do something more design related or something more merchandising-business focused. I thought, like, "Oh, that's probably the safer option to go the business route." But I don't know, time and time again, teachers kept being like, "Try design you should do, you could do design," and like touring universities and stuff one of the advisors there was like, "If you're even thinking about design, you should just do design." So that's the path that I went down and yeah, you know, my college experience I focused solely on Fashion Design. I ended up adding a minor in sustainability. I kind of realized that that was a, you know, spot in the industry that really needs some focus. So, yeah, that was kind of my journey with the whole thing. That's how I connected my love of art and drawing and creating is just to this medium of fashion. I really love apparel. And I think it's just kind of an interesting lens with which to like view the world and how we view people. It says a lot about a person, whether they want it to or not, like what they're wearing. And you know, just what we see people wearing. I think it's kind of an interesting thing, even just from like a people focus, too.
Marissa
Yeah, like, sociologically.
Tara
Yes, exactly.
Marissa
That's really cool that you said that you had like teachers and advisors kind of, like encourage you to go in the path that you were more interested in, even though it was typically not really viewed as the more lucrative or like, I don't know if that's the right word, but yeah because sometimes you definitely hear a lot of people say like, they're encouraged in the other way to go, on the more what is viewed as like the safe route. So yeah, that's really awesome.
Tara
Yeah. Yeah! I'm thankful for all of my teachers and advisors, because they definitely saw something there that I was oftentimes, like too afraid to lean into myself. So really thankful for them.
Marissa
Yeah that's really interesting, too, that you say "too afraid" because that's kind of something that I've been seeing in a lot of, I guess, like, because I feel like you know, sometimes, themes in art and stuff is around a lot. But sometimes certain themes pop up more when it's, I guess, like you need it. So the fact that you say something that you're more scared to lean into, is very interesting, because that can be like a common thing too like, you're afraid to go after what you're really interested in or passionate about?
Tara
Definitely. Yeah
Marissa
And like overcoming that is a big obstacle, but it's really good to overcome that.
Tara
Definitely. It's all about who you surround yourself with, you know?
Marissa
Yeah. So you started talking about it a little bit... Well, actually, before I get into, because I wanted to ask you more about like, your college experience and that process. Was there anything else that like, I mean, you know, as a child, we have... many children have a lot of interests. But was there anything else, as a child or teenager that you were interested in that you considered or even just things that you did for fun, that were creative?
Tara
Definitely. So I mean, another thing that I really actually, not as realistically as fashion did I contemplate it, but a big part of my like, high school experience, that's like, what when I first started getting into my YouTube channel, and editing videos, I was also really beginning to have this growing interest in film, cinematography, all that kind of stuff. So I actually did contemplate going to film school. I did look at like various film schools. But that one was just way too scary to me. And I still have a huge appreciation for film. And I know like a couple of people who studied it. And you know, they're definitely out there forging their own path. But that I think, takes a certain kind of passion that like I had, but didn't have to make it like my full time gig, basically. So yeah, that was like the other thing that I was really contemplating. There was a school in Chicago that had like, both film and fashion that I really thought about, but yeah, I ended up not going down that path.
Marissa
No, that's really cool. Also, can you talk a bit about, because you were, you've been on YouTube since you were in high school, and I think you're like around the same age as me because you, do you mind me asking how old you are?
Tara
Yeah, I'm 25.
Marissa
Okay, I'm 26. And, you know, as time passes, YouTube, and social media has become more and more popular, but I feel like when we were like, in high school, and around that age, it was much less popular. So how did you... What was it like starting your YouTube channel? Was it something that you... because some people I know have said like, oh, you know, it was a... it was like a secret that they kept from like their friends and family and they did it secretly and they were like embarrassed or some people were, for them it was like, not a big deal. So how would you describe that was? That experience was like for you starting a YouTube channel in high school?
Tara
For sure. Well, I guess another fun fact, I could, you know, segue into that with was high school was like when I started the channel that eventually became the channel that I have today. But I was on YouTube even before that. I was probably like 11 when I first started uploading things to YouTube, so I had like, I was very into playing the Sims too. I loved building houses and all of that. So I would upload videos about building houses, and then eventually like through middle school, so I was more like 13 ish. I feel like there was this really big trend of like making music videos. It was before YouTube really cracked down on copyright infringement. It was easier to use music, which I was thinking about the other day too, as a tangent, like, that's probably why people like Tik Tok so much because you can use whatever music you want. So it was kind of like the wild west of the internet back then on YouTube. And you could do all that stuff you could do on Tik ok on YouTube. So I was making quick like music videos and stuff with friends. So because of that, even though it was like not necessarily something I was broadcasting, I wasn't ashamed of it. It was just a fun hobby. People kind of knew I was like, into editing videos and all of that. So by the time I got to high school, that was around the time that the like beauty influencer boom started to happen. It was more kind of like the Michelle Phan era and like juicystar07. So really kind of some of the OG's were doing it. And I had a couple of friends in high school who were like, "Well, we should do a collab channel where we like, all three can do it so it's not as scary if the three of us are on there." And I think that lasted for maybe a year or two. And then very clearly, they were not as interested in it as I was. And I ended up being like, well, I'll just take over the channel then. And that's when I kind of changed it to just be called Tara E, which I think it's still called to this day. I don't think I've even changed it to Tara Efobi. But anyway, yeah. So with that in mind, no, I never really hid it from anyone. And actually, when I like made that transition into doing more beauty and lifestyle content, I actually advertised my videos like on... well "advertise", I didn't pay, but just posting on my personal Facebook and just like letting my friends and family know like that I was doing that. And yeah, that kind of helped boost some of the views. And then you know, before long, I have people who I don't know, just like in my immediate circle watching that content.
Marissa
That's cool. Yeah, I remember being in middle school too and I never made like videos, but I remember having friends doing things like they would make like their own versions of like, movies and like post them and they would include the music and stuff on there. And like same, they would make music videos. So, I hadn't even thought about that in a while, and even though I asked you that question like, you talking about that, made me remember those things. I'm just like, "Wow."
Tara
Yeah, and that's some cringy stuff. And that was like a different channel that I was putting that stuff on. But I mean, it's still out there. If anyone wants to find it. I won't be linking it anytime soon. But yeah, I think it's just like a fun...again, I would never delete that stuff. Because it's just like a really fun kind of time capsule of the era. Yeah.
Marissa
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Cool. So, okay, so going back to talking about like, design and your decision making process for college... I guess, yeah, just in general, can you talk more about first, like even deciding to go to college? I'm not sure like, how that was framed for you in your life and community because I know it can be very different depending on different factors. So that and like, then within that deciding to go to the college you attended and choosing your major and like being really, because you, that was the major that you graduated in was what you started with, right?
Tara
Yeah, yep. I was one of those people who never switched their major, which I'm very thankful for. But there was definitely I mean, I can get into it in a bit. There was definitely moments where I thought like, "I hate fashion, never want to touch this again in my life." But before I get into that, I just like yeah, so my experience with like graduating high school and trying to figure out like if I was going to go to college. So I grew up in mostly kind of like a middle class sort of town. I'm from Des Moines, Iowa. And I basically, the school I went to, was a really, really good public school. It was, you know, in an area where, you know, very fortunate to have like good funding and all of that. So because of that there were a lot of classes that would give you college credit already. It was basically those credits were associated with a local community college. So certainly, like, where I grew up, it was kind of an assumption that you would go to college, which of course has its own problems, but that was always kind of just like an assumed that I'm going to go to college. It was more just figuring out what I was going to do. And so yeah, like I said, through high school, I did have an interest in fashion, came to the conclusion that that's what I wanted to do. So the next thing was kind of figuring out like, did I just want to go to like a public school and get that big, sort of like American university experience, or did I want to go to an art school? So I mean, some of the schools I looked at, I tried to be realistic about who like I was going to be in fashion. I've never genuinely actually had that big of an interest in like luxury or like high end sort of retail. I definitely have always liked designing for, I don't want to be like, "real people" because I don't want to say like, the people who buy that stuff aren't real. But basically, I wanted to design for like, a bigger audience, people who, you know, have, I don't know, more moderate income, basically. So that was always kind of like, okay, so I don't necessarily need to go to Parsons. I don't have like these big high fashion dreams, like amazing for the people who want to do that. But that just like, wasn't my interest. But I did consider Savannah College of Art and Design, which is in Savannah, Georgia. There was an art school, I think it was called Columbia College, Chicago, that was the one that had like film and fashion. But at the end of the day, like to be realistic, I was the sort of high school student who didn't actually apply themselves that much. So my grades were not amazing. There was really no scholarships on the table for me. So I went with the more like affordable and realistic option of just staying in state. I went to Iowa State University, which was about like 45 minutes from where I grew up because they also had like a decently ranked fashion design program. So I just couldn't even justify hopping over even one state and paying like double in tuition. It just didn't make sense. And so from that, like, it was a rocky experience getting started for me at Iowa State like I actually ended up not loving the huge sort of university kind of feel like, Greek life was not something I was into or a part of, like sororities and fraternities and all that. Never went to a football game it just like, so it was kind of like weird that I even went that route. But it was truly just like the most affordable option. So I was really thankful then to study abroad, my junior year. And that gave me a break, like not only from the American university experience, but also that was a time where like, I took no fashion classes, I took classes that were pretty much all about sustainability or Danish culture. And with that, it sort of gave me an insight into other sort of industries that are creative and are like, interesting, whether that's like graphic design, or city planning, or all these different things. And then it kind of rekindled this love for fashion cuz I could take all those things from those various industries and apply that because I don't know I was kind of sick of just like fashion, fashion, fashion, only looking at clothes for inspiration because there's just so many other things to get inspiration from. So at the end of the day, like once the chapter was closed on my college experience, like I don't really have any regrets going to a state school, because I still think it is really what you make of it. And if you have interesting abroad experiences or interesting internships, then that's kind of what like, can be the springboard to your career. You don't have to go to Parsons to be successful.
Marissa
Yeah, definitely. So you mentioned that it was only about 45 minutes away. Did you dorm or you commuted?
Tara
I lived, I still lived in the dorms. So yes, my freshman year I lived in the dorms. Pretty soon after, though I transitioned to to living in apartments. Did not love that dorm life, didn't really want to do it longer than a year. But yeah, I still wanted the experience of being up there, staying up there. But I do know a handful of kids who would commute from Des Moines up to the school.
Marissa
Yeah. I'm just asking because I, kind of how you were explaining like, I had a similar experience because I went to a, because I live in California, so I went to a Cal State and because it was definitely more affordable, specifically the one that I went to. It was a little farther. But I still commuted just because, again, it was more affordable and made more sense with like just all the circumstances so...
Tara
Yeah. And you can still have a great experience doing that because yeah, there's a family friend of mine who... she commuted. I think she was actually a transfer student. So she did two years I think getting her associates and then the last two she went to Iowa State and so she commuted for those last two but she still made tons of friends and like, just had a different experience. Like just because it's like a different college experience doesn't mean it's bad. But, I just was like when I was in high school, having you know, all these fantasies and thoughts about living in the dorms and blah blah, which is so funny because then I ended up not even really loving it anyway, but I'm still you know, hey, I tried it, got the experience, whatever. But anyone who doesn't go for that experience, I still think it's fine. It's like whatever you want to do.
Marissa
Yeah. And then what you said too about like, the fact that it was a... I guess would you say just bigger, more student, larger student population school you ended up not really like liking?
Tara
Yeah, and it's like, probably wasn't even the size because I did enjoy, like, the fact that there were so many people, but it was those things that come with a large university, like, all the funding funding going to sports and things like that, which is fine, sports are a really great thing. But just like I never really attended any football games, like I said, I wasn't, I'm not even like a big partier, I'm not like big into that stuff. So there are times where I was like, "Well, dang, maybe I should have just gone to art school, because then I would have just been surrounded by more like artsy, like minded people." But I hear horror stories about that experience, too. So I mean, it's just like, the grass is always greener on the other side. You may as well just make, just make what you can of the experience you're in basically.
Marissa
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, my school was pretty big, too. But the thing is, because I know it's different with different universities or colleges. Mine, the one I went to, because I went to Cal State Northridge, I think it's typically known as like a commuter school. So I can't really compare it in that sense. But once I was in there, like, I do remember, like, the fact that it was such a large school, sometimes I was like, "Oh, man, I don't know if I like this." But yeah, in the end, it was, it was fine. And I did what I went there to do.
Tara
Exactly right. Yep. Yeah.
Marissa
Cool. So um, and you just started talking about it a little bit as far as like post grad... so what was that like? Because...and you mentioned, internships, so did you, well did you already have like a plan for what you wanted to do post grad? Or did that start like, while you were still in university? How did... and what were your feelings associated with that transition?
Tara
For sure. So during my undergrad, once I, you know, figured out that sustainability was like a really huge issue within the apparel industry, and something that definitely was worth like problem solving... I was under the assumption, or not under the assumption, but basically, I was like, "I want to work for a 'sustainable brand'." So those were a lot of the places I started to apply to. I was kind of open to like, city, I wasn't too picky. But that process of looking for an internship also overlapped with my time abroad, which kind of made it challenging. So I didn't want to, it was this tricky balance of like, trying to enjoy my abroad experience, while also like, trying to figure out an internship, which is a very privileged problem. It's not like a big problem. So yes, I, you know, reached out to various companies, of course, didn't hear back from most. And it came down to two companies that I had offers from, one of which being the company that I currently work for which I said, like I said earlier, is like a mass retailer in the US. And then the other is, was just like a smaller sort of more... I mean, I guess I can say, because I didn't end up working there, but that was 3.1 Phillip Lim in New York City. But unfortunately, again, a lot of this came down to cost. And just like, I was not someone who could afford to take on an unpaid internship, especially in New York City, where... okay, now I'm going to accidentally shade the company. But if anyone wants to do this, whatever, basically, the only payment would have been like a lunch stipend every day. So it's like, I would have been paid $12 a day, which is criminal, in my opinion. And that's like the case for a lot of fashion internships in New York City, or they're paying you like $8 an hour, which still is not a living wage in New York City. So I just couldn't go that route, ended up moving to Minneapolis and taking the other internship gig, which then turned into my full time job. And it's just kind of interesting, because it makes me think back to the time when I thought like fashion isn't a safe sort of option financially. Because it's, it's not true, it kind of just depends on the company you work for. And I was definitely of the mindset that I would be working those sorts of, like criminally underpaid wages in New York City when I ended up actually never even going that route. So my post grad experience then evolved from me thinking, "I need to work for a 'sustainable brand'," to, "actually it's important to have sustainability or sustainably minded people working at all fashion companies, because if you don't, then no change will ever happen." So actually, I think it's a really great opportunity to work for such a big company and use my voice to like, you know, work with the reach that this company has to make sustainability accessible, hopefully one day.
Marissa
Yeah, definitely. I was actually, I was gonna ask you about that a little later on. But I think maybe we can just talk about that right now. So, being that it is a larger company, but you are focused on sustainability, and you're bringing that mindset into that environment...what is that like? And like, do you ever have to, like, manage your expectations? You know?
Tara
Yeah. For sure. It's definitely, I mean, it's a slow moving ship. And it's... I won't lie, it's frustrating at times. And I think what makes it so frustrating too, is a lot of the people that I directly work with on my design team, and kind of my immediate, like, you know, the sourcing people, and the buyers, like, everyone's of the mindset that we want to do good. But it's constantly like, in opposition, with like... not constantly in opposition with the, like values of the company, because the company I work for at the end of the day, like, companies today cannot look away from sustainability. Because if a company is just kind of like, "Nope, we don't care about it," then they get canceled. So like, the mindset today is definitely like, pretty much every company is striving for it, but it's just like, how quickly are they going about it? How are they actually like making significant impact and not just, you know, greenwashing. So it is frustrating to like work with a group of people who are really into it, but it's constantly challenged with like, well, if we make this change, then we're not going to like meet our bottom line in the same way, or like our profits won't be as high or whatever. But, and you know, I've been there for almost three years now and I've already seen like, significant changes. And you know, getting a lot more like recycled content, like we use all BCI cotton. We even have like, some of our denim is Fairtrade in our brand, which is like crazy to me for just like, again, a company the size of the one I work for, so like, these changes do happen, again, when you get people in there who are just constantly like, diligent, patient, willing to work for it. But it is still like, frustrating. And it moves a lot slower than I wish it did sometimes.
Marissa
Yeah, that's really interesting, though, that, you know, the team that you're working with is all going to that it's but it does make sense. Like, being in an environment that is kind of built on a different model, and then being in that and trying to, like, work with that to change it. I can see how it is difficult, but it's really important. Yeah. Sorry what were you going to say?
Tara
No, I was just saying, I was just agreeing and saying like, yeah, it is different. Because, you know, there's a lot of brands that exist, where it was just like, in their DNA and in their genesis that like, "We are going to be a sustainable brand." And then they're going from there. Whereas other companies started to just make money, basically. And now in this, in these, you know, years that we're in they're stamping on top, "Okay, now we need to try and be sustainable." And it's kind of hard sometimes, like making that work and making that fit. But it is, I believe it's possible. I try to be hopeful about the whole thing, because if you're not hopeful, then nothing will ever get done.
Marissa
Yeah, definitely. Um, and then...so well, you kind of mentioned it already that...Well, the way you mentioned, it is... sorry, I'm like saying "it" but I'm not saying it, but it's in my mind. Sometimes I have that problem. Like I'm thinking and then I'm not saying it. Sorry. So you mentioned like when it came to choosing your school that you had a... your intention for being a designer was to design for larger...
Tara
Audiences basically.
Marissa
Audience. So, but have you ever considered... Because I don't know like exactly the different...I don't know what the word for it would be... Like avenues, I guess you can take as a designer. Do you see yourself always in the future, and I know that, that's a big, probably a big question that can't really be answered, but have you ever considered making your own designs? Yeah. either, for a smaller company, or like, at some point in the future, having your own projects and like being independent, or freelance or anything like that?
Tara
Yeah, I definitely think... I can't speak for all people who study fashion design, but I feel like for most people who study fashion design, the thought crosses their mind like, "Dang, I would rather just have my own brand," and again, like, "run this whole ship." And that's definitely kind of a thought I had when I was in college. It's a thought I maybe had a little bit postgrad. But, you know, as time goes on, and I start to think about things more and start to understand like capitalism more and all of these things. I've started to realize I actually don't think I would ever start my own brand. And of course, never say never, who knows, maybe that'll change in the future. But at this point in time, it's actually really not necessarily a goal that I'm working towards. There's other goals that I'm working towards more just like, paying off my student loans is one of them. That's like the major one. And then the other one is just like, get like, living in a city where I feel inspired, happy, fulfilled. So those are like my main goals. And anything involving like, starting my own gig is more like on the back burner. I have contemplated freelancing as a way to kind of like control my own schedule, be my own boss, you know, because in this time of COVID, like, I'm working from home, that got me thinking more like, "Dang, it's really nice, like controlling my schedule a little bit more and not having a commute and not having all this stuff." So that really for a while, like, honestly, like last year, I was like, "I should freelance." And then I was kind of like, "I don't know." So I think for me, the thing that I actually really want are those other things I mentioned. And also just like stability, like I think I need stability in order to achieve like paying off my student loans. So that's more kind of where I'm at right now. And like another goal I have on top of that would be to like, move out of the United States at some point. And so like, that's, again, something that I placed above ever, like starting my own brand. So over time, from college to now, I always have goals, but they're kind of always shifting. And I'm definitely a planner, I definitely don't like do things super spontaneously. So because of that, it allows time for those goals to shift. But if there's anything that hasn't shifted for a while, then that's kind of like, okay, I still like really care about them. That's still something I want to work towards.
Marissa
Yeah, cool, cool. Um, okay, so I want to talk about your creative process in general, the design process, and I know, I don't know if it's different versus when you're in like, the work environment, since you're working for a company compared to like, if you're just doing things, for fun, or on your own. But can you describe just your creative process when it comes to designing? And...yeah.
Tara
Yeah, no, for sure. So I think, whether for personal or for work, the design process for me always starts with kind of just like the external, so the inspiration. And the inspiration and sort of almost kind of like, research/gathering can come from like a multitude of places, just depending on the project. So a lot of times for work that's coming from comparison shopping, so like seeing what's out there in the market, making sure we're staying relevant, basically, looking at aspirational brands. So brands that are like a higher price point that, you know, basically companies that you know what I'm in the segment of like, they're not touching that stuff yet. So like, what's maybe next on the horizon of the trend curve, that next, you know, this is the next stuff that we're going to bring to our guests. Something that I focused more on in school, and then in my personal projects, as well is, again, less like apparel and comparison and more true inspiration from art. And that's something that I'm trying to like intertwine now with my work. I get to help a little bit more on like the concepts that we plan each season. So because of that, then I get to start thinking about things more just like a particular artist, and maybe themes within their work or my senior line when I was in college was inspired by women in Scandinavian design. I noticed in my time there like studying furniture design especially, there's a lot of focus on men and their contributions. But then the couple of women that I learned about, I was like, "Well, let me like dig deeper here," and see like, women who designed furniture who were still like really prominent in Scandinavian design. So I ended up basing my senior line on like, women and fashion design and how again, that kind of like soft meets the hard and that inspiration. So that's actually my favorite thing to do is take something that's not fashion related and turn it into fashion. So that's kind of where it starts, wherever I'm pulling inspiration from like, that's number one. Something that weaves into that research, though, again, from my work is figuring out like, what do the people want? So we can like, we have this app within our company so we can reach out to people and say like, "It's spring," like "where's your mindset? When do you start buying new clothes? Are you not even buying clothes right now because of COVID?" Just like we can ask questions like that and figure out where our guest's head is that and that's really helpful. Pre pandemic we could also have like guest events where people would come into the office and it's like, maybe we want to learn about dresses. So then they show us five photos of them in their favorite dresses, explain why they love them, they can flip through like our prototypes and say like, "Oh, I love this because of this," or, "I hate this because of that." So I really, really love that stuff because it helps to take the personal element of like me out of it. And again, reminds me like, this is a selfless job that I work in, like I'm been doing this for people, not for myself. So that's another thing that's like part of the design process for my day job. And then with that comes, you know, the sketching, the ideating, whether that's pulling mood imagery, whether that's like getting right down into sketching, you know, collaborating with my peers, getting feedback on my work, giving feedback on their work, choosing fabrics, choosing colors, choosing all that stuff. And then before long, you get to the point where you're "assorting" is what it's called. So basically, you're like, "Okay, so we know we're doing this dress, we know, we need four colorways. So now we're going to pick those four colors," or those prints or whatever.
And then before long, you have a whole line, a collection, whatever. And that's kind of, that's kind of where my part of it ends. In school, definitely, we had to focus more on like, more of the entrepreneurial stuff, where it'd be like pricing and things like that. But I don't, I don't really touch that now in my design role. It truly is like the problem solving, and then the execution of turning that into a sketch, turning that into an actual physical product. And I get to work with like, fabric engineers, I get to work with like textile designers. So I'm not like creating the prints on garments. And I'm not like figuring out the composition of the fabrics. Like I get to work with people to figure that out to help make the designs that I sketched. So yeah that's kind of how the design process all comes together. In the end, there's times where it gets a little crazy. And I think to myself, like how wild that product even ends up on shelves, like knowing what happens behind the scenes. Sometimes I'm like, just like a bunch of like monkeys clapping cymbals sometimes it's what it feels like. But amazingly stuff gets done, product gets on the shelves. And then yeah, in my personal life, like it's amazing sometimes, because I definitely like now that I'm not in school, I drop projects a lot like, I might start designing a line for fun, and then just stop so it's amazing when I actually see something through in my personal life. So yeah, getting to the end is always exciting.
Marissa
Yeah, I relate to that. I have a bunch of unfinished things. Cool. So would you say that it's a really fast paced process?
Tara
Yes, it started, it felt slower when I was learning it. And now that I've been in my particular role for almost three years... the thing too is like, it's like never ending and you're always in one... what am I trying to say? You're always kind of in three seasons at once. So like when you're... so for right now while we are wrapping up holiday, and like what's going to be coming into stores at winter, we're beginning to just ideate and concept what summer will be. And then we're also starting to get prototypes in for spring. So like, you're constantly in like so many different seasons, never really knowing what year it is because the product we're working on is like for 2022. So then I'm always just like, kind of confused about what's going on, but because of... because you're always having like a foot in like a different like square all at the same time it does go pretty fast. And the years kind of fly by and you're like, "Wow, it's holiday again. Wow, it's summer again. Okay." Like sneaking up on me. So it's interesting.
Marissa
Yeah. Cool. So you did talk a little bit about working from home because of COVID and stuff. How has that affected like just your work in general? Do you feel like it's been harder to be motivated to come up with ideas or just do what you would usually be doing in the office? Or, yeah because you know, it's just been a really wild year. So...
Tara
Yeah, it's been a weird time to say the least. So it's definitely fluctuated. So when the pandemic - Well, actually, I should preface before the pandemic ever even happened. Again, this is kind of like my first job in the industry post grad. And so you know, those first like one and a half years working in the office, I was kind of just like getting my footing basically of like, what the heck was even going on. And eventually kind of getting to a point where it's like, okay, I have my point of view of design. And, you know, every once in a while, like, we get to like travel for work. So like, I went to Los Angeles twice, which was really fun. And I had never been there before. And those were really inspiring trips. So there's other people too, other designers at other levels who get to go to like, really, really exciting places. Like I know people in my team were supposed to be going to India, and people were supposed to be going to the Netherlands and all this stuff like right before the pandemic happened. So definitely the company I work for, like there was a lot of travel involved previously to like, either work with vendors or to gather research and inspiration. So then, once we were all kind of stuck at home, I was like, feeling a lot of different emotions. So like thankful at first to like, again, not have a commute, just got to roll out of bed and go into my living room and start working. But especially as things transitioned into, like the summer, and then there was, you know, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. And that's where my company is headquartered, too. So like, not only was his murder like felt around the world, but like, specifically in Minneapolis, it was very intense. And it was super hard to be inspired during that time. Like, I was like, "How do you even think about clothes in a time like this?" where it's like, got this horrible pandemic going on, where there's like, these mass graves being like made in New York City, and all these different places. We're all glued to our TV. So like, every time a person of color is killed, we're just like seeing it, and not really having any distractions from it. So that was a time where I was like, really struggling, not inspired, not even doing amazing in my job to be fully honest. But now as time has gone on, and I actually ended up moving from Minneapolis to Colorado. So I'm working remote from Colorado right now. I wanted to be with my boyfriend, because I just felt so incredibly isolated. Like even, again, before the pandemic happened, like I didn't have like any best friends in the city when I started my job there. So it was just like, trying to find my way at work with a lot of 30 somethings who have like kids and things like that and not really fitting in, then you have this pandemic. And I was like, there was days where I wouldn't leave my apartment where I would only be opening my mouth to speak to someone on a zoom meeting. And it just felt weird and not natural. So I ended up coming out here to Colorado. And I feel actually the most inspired I have at any point in my career thus far, which is kind of nice. It's a nice transition. And I've been doing a lot better and feeling like I actually care. I'm like actually thinking about my job. Like, after I could have like been done for the day, which was something that like I observed a lot of my co workers doing like in office and I just kept thinking to myself, like, "I just want to shut off when I come home," like, "I don't want to think about work anymore." But now I feel like happy and inspired by it. And I'm like, wanting to go that extra mile to do an amazing job. And that's because I'm like, with a loved one, I you know, whatever, just like the election and all these things have passed, and I'm able to kind of like, begin to focus again, like people are getting vaccinated. It's just kind of like, hopefully the start of a new era for a lot of people. And we're also trying to figure out like how things are going to be after this because you know, it's been challenging, especially working in fashion, such a physical, such a tangible sort of job, and having samples sent to you and color swatches and all of these things. But now that we've started to make it work, I'm very curious to see what will happen like I definitely know a lot of coworkers who don't want to return to the office full time once this is all over. So I'm just fascinated to see what's next. But I'm just happy to be feeling happier now and happier to be feeling more inspired now.
Marissa
Yeah, definitely. What do you - well I mean, because you were saying, you've already done these things like moving with a loved one to Colorado. In general, like, do you feel like you have a way of approaching life or your feelings and thoughts during those times that are really difficult that help you get through them? I don't know how much you want to talk about that?
Tara
You mean, kind of like, before I was here with someone else like how I was handling my mental health, like alone in Minneapolis? Is that what you mean?
Marissa
I guess, either in either situation, just like, yeah, in general, how do you... what are some things that help you or have helped you kind of cope with more difficult times?
Tara
I think the thing that has always continued to help me cope with more difficult times is, you know, kind of going back to what I said, like, when I was in high school, it's kind of like goal setting. So like, I'm definitely, and like I said, a planner. I'm very much thinking about like, what's next, which has been interesting, like, it's been a hard thing to deal with, in this time of the pandemic, because you can't plan for a lot of stuff, like, a lot of people were laid off, you know, without any sort of warning. We, when we, you know, got the news, like, "Okay, guys, we have to like pack up our stuff and start working from home for a couple of weeks," well, a couple of weeks turned into a month, and then a month turned into a year. And now it's been over a year of doing this. And so the thing that I have always kind of tried to implement to help pull me out of darker places, is just thinking about what's next. So when I was like, initially kind of struggling during the pandemic, like, like I said, I started thinking about like, even though it's a horrible time to get into freelancing, but I was thinking about like freelancing. And so like, while I was doing my other work, I was like, researching that, planning that like, whenever I have like a project or something to be like planning, thinking about, that kind of helps as a distraction. Even if it ends up evolving into something else. And kind of where then, you know, things got a little better towards like the tail end of last year, right before I moved here was the prospect of being able to move to Colorado. So like, that's what I was working towards Then I was working towards, like, making a proposal for my team, like, "here's why I want to move, here's why I think it will actually be beneficial to the company, I can do this research when I'm in Colorado," for like, you know, track leisure is like a huge trend. And like, "I will be in the epicenter of that, like I can do this research for the team." And just like planning, that sort of proposal was kind of like a light at the end of the tunnel. And now that I'm here, the thing that - because it's still like, although I'm feeling better, of course, there's still like, dark moments. I'm honestly trying to work towards getting promoted now. So like, ready for that next step in my design path. Like, is it staying on the particular like, brand that I'm on? Is it moving to a different brand, within the same company? Like, you know, I've been working on my portfolio and like resume and that kind of stuff. So it's always kind of like, professional or personal goals that I set for myself and work towards, that helps to keep my mental health in a better place, which comes with pros and cons, because then sometimes I'm stressing myself out with these goals. But if I have no goals, then truly, like what I said, I will just like sit in the house, not leave not talk to anyone if I don't have to. And it's a rough place. And that's actually another simple thing too to help with my mental health that I have kind of failed on recently I need to get back into but making sure I like leave the house at least once a day. Because it just, again staying inside, even with my partner here and now I have someone to talk to, it's still like not healthy to like not get up and walk and have sunlight and have all that stuff. So I'm trying to get out at least once a day and then trying to goal-set are kind of like the two major things that I do.
Marissa
Yeah, that's definitely relatable in terms of like, the goals and getting out. What has it been like in Colorado? Have you been... are you in an area- because I've never been to Colorado. But I know it's like really beautiful and there's a lot of...do you do a lot of like hiking or?
Tara
Yeah, so I came out for a short bit this past summer just again when all the like, you know, sort of civil unrest was going on in Minneapolis, which again was a huge privilege and I'm super thankful for the ability to do that. So especially yeah, last summer, it'd be like, every weekend we would like drive through the mountains or go for hikes or go to like, the reservoir and like go swimming and all this stuff. And since I've been back in Colorado living here more permanently, like it's even still nice again, just having my boyfriend here to be able to like, go for a drive even if the weather's not perfect. Or bundle up, go for a walk. There was one night where it was literally like a blizzard. And we're like, let's still just like bundle up and go for a walk and like took a picture afterwards, just like matted with snow. But yeah, it is beautiful out here. And that has been helping to uplift my mood too. And now that the weather's getting even nicer, and we've recently actually moved to a different apartment, it's a little closer to the mountains, like looking forward to getting out there. And getting to camp again, which is just something that, you know, Minnesota is a beautiful state too, it actually has a lot of lakes. And there are different sort of like nature-y things to do there. But I was from the Midwest and always kind of wanted to get out of the Midwest. So I do still find it more inspiring being here.
Marissa
Cool, cool. So I know there's only a few more minutes, I wanted to ask you a little bit about what it's like, now that you are working full time, but you still have like social media and YouTube and you do that in your free time. So how do you approach and like, balance that?
Tara
Sure, yeah. It's a struggle, for sure. But it's still something that I love. So like when I first graduated college and was like working, I really made a video saying that I'm going to quit YouTube. And I did for a year and a half. I did not upload any content. There was a time then that I started focusing on Instagram a little bit more. And I was still doing like brand deals and things like that over on Instagram and just like curating my feed there. And then it was actually right before the pandemic happened, it was like January, honestly, of 2020, I just like really missed YouTube and decided to come back. And then the pandemic happened. And I had a little bit more time to like film, again I was like living alone in Minneapolis. Like it was a great way to like connect with people. And I had sort of kind of this Renaissance on my channel. And then right before I moved to Colorado, at the end of last year, I felt like I was really hitting my stride. And like uploading a video, like usually once every week, once every two weeks. And even leading up to my move I was posting a lot of content. But things have definitely been rocky since I've been out here in Colorado again, because I'm like, trying to be present, trying to enjoy this time with my partner that I never really had before, and trying to just enjoy, like, you know, the new area that I've never lived in. I always wanted to like, creep my way out west. So I'm kind of thankful to be like over here and exploring it. But I will be back in due time. I'm planning it. I also want to get like different audio equipment. So there's like this stuff that's like, "Okay, let me just like get settled into my space, feel really good, and then come back." So that's the way I approach, like having a full time job and doing YouTube and social media is just being realistic. And that's like, when I made that video in 2020 saying I was going to come back I was like, "this is going to be like on my terms. I'm going to upload when I want to if you guys are cool with that, then awesome." And people were receptive to that. So that's just kind of the way it's been. And luckily, no one's ever like, "Where are you?" like, "Come back!" Like, I think, luckily, my audience is a similar age to me as what I've noticed from my demographics. And so people are like understanding and very respectful. There's just like, no one really harassing me, which I appreciate.
Marissa
Yeah, that's really good. That's cool. And then just one last question in general, do you have like, I mean, we might have already talked about this, because I asked you about, like what you do to get through dark times. But this is just, in general, is there anything else that you like to do for fun that you don't like, share with the world? I mean, well, I'm asking you here on a podcast so I don't know if you would want to talk about it, but I'm just curious. Yeah. for sure.
Tara
For sure. I mean, the other things that bring me a lot of joy are, I mean, thrifting and vintage sort of shopping, finding small businesses and supporting them. So that's something that's been kind of like a bummer during the pandemic. Like you know, some like slowly started to open up and we're a little bit more comfortable with it. But that's just something I really, really love is checking out local businesses and just being a patron of them basically. And getting to know those people because actually, when I lived in Minneapolis, I formed somewhat decent connections with people from going to like, there was this monthly vintage market where there was like a ton of different vendors there. And I got to know these like twin sisters who have this business and I don't even think I've talked about this, but I ended up working for them a little bit. I like worked in their shop. And just like that was an interesting experience seeing like how a small business operates. So that's something I really, really love. I love cooking, I'm a vegetarian. And so there's a lot of just like, ways I feel like, to be creative with that. And just, my partner's really into cooking too, even though he's not a vegetarian. But we are just both really, really into that. And so that's something that brings me a lot of joy. Also, just allowing myself to rest and be lazy. Like, I want to be realistic about that because I feel like a lot of people continually talk about doing things. But I, you know, am fortunate, I don't know, this is like a weird thing to say, but I'm fortunate to have grown up in a situation where my mom was like, "It's good to be lazy, you should be lazy if you want to be lazy." So truly just like kicking back, watching YouTube videos, like I love watching commentary channels, I love watching, you know, I don't watch as much beauty content as I used to, but still sort of like some lifestyle stuff. Like I love checking that out on YouTube and just really unwinding. But it's a tricky balance, because I don't want to ever... with anything, I never want to do too, too much of one thing. I think good mental health comes from having a balance. And then I will throw in as well, just since we're on like the subject, like when I was in college, I did talk to a therapist too, which I think is important. And I don't- I'm thankful that the stigma is starting to lessen on that. Because there was moments in school, like I said, where like, dorms, I was like not feeling. I really like struggled making friends when I was in college. I have always kind of been someone who is like more introverted, and I struggle making friends. So therapy was really, really good for me when I was in school, and even talking to counselors and things like that. So just a good balance of like, getting out shopping, cooking, talking to a professional when you need to, like I think those are all really things that have helped me in, in kind of my early 20s.
Marissa
Yeah, definitely. And then what you were saying about, it's kind of interesting, because you're talking about, you know, having time to just relax and do nothing and kind of, like, resist that... It's like, cuz, you know, since we're around the same age, I feel like we've grown up with this like idea of like, hyper productivity and hustling. And then with- resist, like opposing that, there's also this discourse, that's gaining a lot more popularity, that is talking about resisting that, and rest is important. And I'm definitely trying to get more into that mindset and like reading different literature and following different people who talk about the importance of that. But it could still be hard to like, since it is just something that I'm getting into within the past few years of unlearning that hyper productivity mindset. It's just like, interesting that I think about some times like, it's, yeah, like, yeah.
Tara
it's easier said than done sometimes. And like I said, too, I'm approaching this weird, but good place with my work where I am, like, inspired after hours, so to speak. And it's, you know, there's definitely times like, pre pandemic, and even like, during the pandemic where I was like, working long hours, like, against my will, like, I didn't want to do it, but it's just the work had to get done. Whereas now, there's some of that, but there's also a lot of like, inspiration there. But I also never want to get like burnt out on what I do. Because although I've had my backs and forths with fashion, like, I know I love it. I know, it's like, something that I probably want to do forever, to some degree, whether that evolves to, like, you know, other areas of fashion or other sort of areas of design. So with that it's like a balance of - that's the thing, because I never even want to call it hustling because there's such a bad connotation, but just like making sure you're happy and inspired with the work you're doing. Finding that sweet spot. So you're like really excelling and doing a good job. But having that balance of like, especially on the weekends, like I do not like, work on the weekends. Like I'm willing to work late on the week, but I very rarely work on the weekends. And I think that's what like, helps me honestly stay sane. And stay creative during the week is just like, "Cool, it's Saturday," like I said, "I'm just gonna lay here and watch like Kurtis Conner videos for three hours and like not worry about the world." It's yeah, just what I kind of have to do to get by.
Marissa
Yeah, definitely. It's like a lifelong balancing act and journey.
Tara
Exactly. Yep. And it'll, I'm sure I'll have you know, some dark spots again. Maybe some even brighter spots than now. But yeah, so just on the journey continually.
Marissa
Cool. Cool. Well, thank you so much. That was pretty much all of the questions that I had for you. I just want to say too, like I'm excited for... because I, you know, I've been following you and I see the different designs that you post. And sometimes I'm like, "Ooh," like, "I want to get that." And then I'm like, I miss it. So especially like, because I was looking again at your feed recently, and I was remembering the overalls. And I've been, I've really been wanting a pair of overalls so... not that you're going to design any of those again, I'm just, yeah, I'm just talking about that. But yeah, it's really exciting to see your different work come out. And even like your YouTube videos, whenever you want to post them they're always enjoyable.
Tara
Thank you.
Marissa
Yeah. So I just really appreciate you taking your time to talk to me, and especially, you know, as it is a Sunday, I really appreciate that. I know, it's the weekend. Yeah.
Tara
Yeah. All good. Thank you. I always love like talking about this stuff, because I love hearing other people's stories about all their, like, you know, their journey, what led them to where they are so thankful to share mine. And I was just gonna like, add to what you said, like, there's a lot of times where like, I even miss, like my own designs. Like, I'm like, "Oh, yes, that skirt I designed dropped, how exciting." And then like, weeks go by, and it's sold out. And I'm like, "oh, shoot!"
Marissa
Yeah, I was wondering like, do you automatically get to have a piece when...your pieces? Or you have to just wait and buy it when it gets released?
Tara
I'll be honest, there's random times where like, like I mentioned, like, obviously, there's like prototypes or initial samples of the work. So like, if I design, I'll just use the example of like, a quilted jacket. Like, if that proto ends up being like, good, and that's what we like, end up putting into stores, like, you know, that can stay like with target, and technically it is their product, but I'm gonna wear it around my apartment, you know, it's like floating around here anyway. So then it's like, yeah, I get to, like, have access to that. But otherwise, yeah, I do buy my own stuff. I mean, I have an employee discount. So at least there's that. But no, I'll be honest, I don't just like get the products given to me. I wish I did. That'd be fun. But I don't.
Marissa
Yeah, it makes sense. Like, logistically, I'm sure that would be...
Tara
A nightmare, especially yeah for a company this size. And it's, you know, it's a big design team, because the brand I work on is like, 5 designers, maybe. And then there's like, five women's brands at, you know, the company I work at. And then there's like other you know, brands too. So the men's team, that kids team, all this stuff, and if people were just like constantly given free product that, that especially would not be great for the company's bottom line. So yeah, it's not gonna happen.
Marissa
Yeah, that's funny. I was just thinking about that, too.
Tara
I wondered that. And yeah, there's, like going into fashion, I was like, you know, you see movies like, The Devil Wears Prada. And she just gets to like, go into the closet and take stuff. And I'm like, "Oh, does that happen?" It's like, maybe at some places, but not everywhere. Yeah.
Marissa
Yeah. Cool. Cool.