Today we’d like to introduce you to Ren Alcide.
Ren, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’d say my story starts with a younger (13 year old) me who had a big passion for theater and anything art-related. I grew up mainly doing sports and athletic endeavors per my parents request, however, I had always had a love for theater and film. I remember my first play was Newsies at my middle school and it being one of the best experiencers of my life. Not only had I finally acted on my love of the arts, but I also had more appreciation for all the moving parts and behind the scenes of what happens in a creative setting like that. It ignited a new flame in my heart for the process of theater and everything that goes into it, and even more specifically, the costumes. Once I knew that I had a passion for not only theater and acting, but also costume design and clothing in general, I dived right in. I then auditioned for more roles at school and joined my local theater program, as well as starting to learn the mechanics of what makes a good outfit and turning on Project Runway more often. I slowly developed my own style and fell deeper and deeper in love with the fashion world and all it had to offer. I used my clothing as armor as things got harder in school both mentally and academically. It made me feel powerful knowing that people would look at me weird or compliment me on an outfit I wore to school; in my head, if they stopped and stared, I was doing something right. By the time it was time to pick colleges, I knew I needed to be in an art school to fully develop my passions. I chose Savannah College of Art and Design and am still here today as a junior Fashion Marketing and Management major and though it has been a rough ride, I am glad I get to indulge in my passion everyday here.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been quite a rough road to get where I am today. Between mental health struggles, having to take time off of school, and switching majors; my journey has had many ups and downs. The biggest struggle I have faced is getting my mental health in order to be able to continue doing what I love without burning out or getting overwhelmed and frustrated with my work. At the beginning of my college experience at SCAD, I struggled with the learning curve of an extremely fast-paced work schedule and very little mercy when it came to deadlines and critiques. I ended up taking a quarter off of school in my sophomore year because all of my ignored mental struggles and the pressure were starting to catch up to me. Once I got over that hump, however, I went back to school with a new mindset and ended up switching my major from fashion design to fashion marketing and management. My logic in this decision was that I already had the basics in making clothes and sewing, but knew nothing about the business world and needed to catch myself up if I wanted to own my own business in the future. This leads us to the present day! Currently, I still struggle with my mental health but it is much more manageable and I am no longer going at it alone, and I am much happier and secure with my major and skill set than I have been since the start of SCAD.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I constantly am trying to create in any way I can. My work consists of clothing pieces, mock ad campaigns, my own branding designs, and more! I definitely specialize in making designs and editing, however my interests, like myself, are constantly changing and evolving in the lens of fashion, acting, and whatever else I am into at the moment! I am definitely most proud of the mock advert I did for class on Dr. Martens. It was a project where I had to make a full photoshoot in the Doc Martens style and try to imitate their works while still making it my own. For this project, I made the clothing and hair very fun and outlandish, as Dr. Martens does in some of their shoots, while still keeping the shoes in full focus. I also think I can be set apart from others because of how passionate I can be. I will absolutely not rest until my vision shines through a project and I can see it clearly. If the vision gets muddled or tweaked too much, I do everything in my power to clean it up until I can see the story and care that I put into a project radiate out towards me.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I can be very shy and anxious. My whole brand is about being who you truly are, letting your weird side out, and not caring what others think. I find it very interesting that this can be true and that I can also have very self conscious, insecure thoughts at the same time. But, the truth is that my work is the thing that helps me break out of my anxiety and lets me be who I truly am. When I know that the message that I am trying to spread is being received well, even though right now it is only being received by friends/professors, it gives me more strength and validation to keep going in not only my career but in my own self-expression as well.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ren.katrinaaa
