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Today we’d like to introduce you to Shilaken.
Hi Shilaken, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started my journey off by making bonnets, scrunchies, and fur headbands when I was a senior in high school.
Fast forward, I start at Spelman College in 2019 and I’m sewing like crazy in my little tiny space in my dorm. Sometime after about 30 bonnets or so, I was thinking to myself, I can really sew. I then started to make two-piece outfits out of oversized sweatshirts. They were definitely cute little outfits for the ATL vibe.
When spring break came around it was all good until the school told us we need to leave immediately because of Covid. I ended up going to stay with my mom in the Midwest. Of course, I would continue to sew, and I had even more time to because school was now virtual. At this time, I started to quickly realize the change in the market and my cute two pieces were not as popular in the area. That is when I started to reconstruct clothing fully and unlock my real creativity. I made a jacket out of 5 pairs of corduroy jeans, lined it with satin and added a collar. This showed me it’s only up and my skills were stronger than I knew.
Fast forward to now, I focus on using sustainable materials and most of my items are 1 of 1, I literally make everything and don’t really have a set style. I have done seven fashion shows thus far with six being done in 2022.
I got to where I am today by being confident in my work, keeping my head up and facing my obstacles head on.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest challenges thus far has been self-sabotage, thinking I’m not good enough or listening to the haters. As of recently, I’ve realized I’m really like that and my work speaks for itself. After changing my mindset I’ve seen so many more opportunities brought to the light I never even thought of before.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m most proud of my creations that are items I’ve never made before. I love to try new things and push my skills to the limit. I’m always trying to improve my sewing skills to really show the quality of my work. I think what makes me unique from others is that I sew all of my items completely by myself. I have intricate pieces that tell a story. Most of my items have a story behind them and I believe when people see my work, feelings are evoked.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I’ve always been an outgoing friendly person, filled to the brim with energy. I would say I’ve always been goofy too.
Since a young age, I liked making things with my hands. I remember I used to make duct tape shoes, wallets, and bags. I also used to make whatever I could out of cardboard. I was definitely that kid that used to make anything out of everything and I was a big collector of random items too. I used to collect gum wrappers, candy wrappers, bottle caps, and anything else you can think of, I probably collected it. To this day I have a wonderful bouncy ball collection that sits in a giant wine glass.
Contact Info:
- Website: Shilaken.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/shilakenatelier
Image Credits
Instagram @itsgroovy_ @svnflwrchild @jsc.productions @mmorgankaye @hikarinoyamii
