Story & Lesson Highlights with Malia Alvina of East Atlanta

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Malia Alvina . Check out our conversation below.

Malia Alvina , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m proud of building my confidence as a creative. There were so many times where I was paralyzed creatively out of fear of failure and fear of judgement and imperfection. I’m learning to let all that go and I embrace my art for what it is because for me it’s more than just making beautiful things, the creative process is freeing and therapeutic and it brings me genuine joy.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a self taught designer and creator. I’m originalIy from Long Beach, CA, but I’ve been in Atlanta for close to 20 years. I created Sew Dope in 2018, after many years of wanting to learn to sew. Over the years , Sew Dope has evolved into a brand built on making fashion both exclusive and accessible. Every bag, earring or accessory I create is one of one and never duplicated. I feel style should feel personal and not massed produced. My work blends sustainability, bold design, and craftsmanship to prove that handmade doesn’t mean homely.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My Father , has always seen me even when I did not realize he did. He would tell me how talented I was, he would find ways to invest in my creativity, and he would remind how beautiful I am and it made me feel like I did not have to be in the background and that I too deserved to be seen.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I think the fear of failure. I am my own worst critic and I’m learning to give myself grace and recognize mistakes are inevitable and imperfection is essentially uniqueness.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That you have to look a certain way to be beautiful, that there is less value in handmade products and that fashion equates to style. Also equating name brand with style or value. Some of the dopest fashion I’ve seen has been from local talent or indie artist. Smaller brands may lack resources but we definitely don’t lack style, exclusivity and luxury.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
A little bit of both. I was born to create and serve and I’ve been blessed to be doing both. I’ve been blessed to be a creative entrepreneur with Sew Dope and I’ve been given the responsibility as a humanitarian to help those in need through my Mental Health practice, EMG Behavioral Health, were I provide mental health counseling to those in need. I am also a part of the corporate world currently helps fund my creative dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maliasewdope.com
• Instagram: @maliasewdope

Image Credits
All images are mine and taken by me