Supra Endura: Creative Conversations

Maria Piessis wears many hats. She is a photographer, graphic artist, art director, and set designer. She currently lives in Paris but I met her years ago when we were both living in New York City. Her work has appeared in Tidal Magazine, Stylist Magazine. To read the full article and pictures and links check out:https://www.supraendura.com/blogs/news

This week we have the incredibly talented Allie Pearce. Allie is many things, she is a costume designer and stylist and has worked on various projects such as styling music videos for Japanese Breakfast, TV on The Radio and Mannequin Pussy, she has worked on series for refinery 29 and she is currently a costume designer on SNL. But that’s not all folks. She also is the designer and creative director behind her own line: Pearce. Allie is very interested in sustainability, natural fabrics, and zero waste. She has some amazing pieces that are very versatile and gender neutral. We got to talking about her path and how she found her way into her many professions.

Happy fourth of July and welcome to this week's episode of Creative Conversations Podcast! I am very excited to have Bonkosi Horn on today. Bonkosi has just opened up Freedom Apothecary with her business partner Morrissa Jenkins. Freedom is a clean beauty + wellness + self-care boutique. Bonkosi wanted to create an inclusive space and support women-owned businesses. I have been following the launch of this business and I am so excited about this space and really love the thoughtfulness they have put into the design. I met Bonkosi a few years back when she was involved in the inception of the Local, a Lululemon concept store that focused and featured local Philadelphia brands. This has been an amazing space and has hosted many thought-provoking events. I was so excited to sit with Bonkosi and talk about her experience and what really lead her into creating these transformative and immersive spaces.

This week on the show I have Nicole Rossi of Texture Florals. Nicole told me she was an architect turned floral designer and I was instantly intrigued. I learned about how Nicole first foray into florals with the FLWRY, a subscription-based floral CSA. After leaving architecture she decided to delve into florals for good and creates one-of-a-kind floral arrangements and installations. For photos, links and more on this episode check out https://www.supraendura.com/blogs/news

We are so excited this week to have Angela Monaco on the show. We met a few years back at the Rad Girls awards, we were actually both nominated for 'Designer of The Year'. Neither of us won, but we got to chatting and I started to follow her brand. It was so great to hear about the evolution of her line and the curated and collaborative experience she has created with Ritual Shoppe. To get the full show notes, photos and links visit: https://www.supraendura.com/blogs/news

We have a great episode this week I got to talking with Jestis Deuerlein, of Done and Dusted. I happened upon the Done and Dusted studio one day at the Bok building and was blown away by their one-of-a-kind dusted backdrops. Done and Dusted specializes in creating custom photo shoot backdrops, wall finishes for retail environments and set design and construction. They have worked with some big clients like Anthropologie, free people, and Ikea, but they have also done some really cool collaborations with local photographers and designers. It was great to talk with Jestes about her business and brand and her love of creating spaces.

This week we have an amazing artist, craftsman and serial entrepreneur: Daniel “Rickard Guy” Mcrorie. Dan grew up in Winnipeg Manitoba and from an early age, he was making T-shirts and repairing his shoes. He began working as a cobbler and then built and ran his own shoe repair and custom leather shop, which he ran all by himself. He, later on, moved to Brooklyn where along with running his own business he co-founded Knickerbocker Manufacturing. Along with being a craftsman, Dan is also an artist, his work has appeared in Vogue and Atlas Quarterly and he recently gave a talk at the MoMA during the ‘is fashion Modern exhibition. With all these amazing accomplishments Dan is an incredibly approachable and generous. I love picking his brain about manufacturing because he knows so much! I loved our talk about the ins and outs of running a business along with honing your craft.

Elissa Bloom is a powerhouse in her own right. I know her personally, as she was my director when I was a part of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator. PFI really helped me learn more about the business side of the fashion industry and Elissa was a great mentor to myself and many of the other designers who have gone through the program. Before the PFI Elissa launched and ran her own accessories business. It was great to sit down with her and talk about all she has done and learn about what it takes to make it as a fashion designer.

This week I sat down with the amazing Antoinette Marie Johnson, creator and founder of Cohere, a creative agency that specializes in cohesive storytelling in real estate, food, and hospitality. She has helmed remarkable projects such as the revitalization of 990 Spring Garden in Philadelphia, the Baltimore Harbor Market, and recently has branded a major initiative to increase food sustainability. What blew me away was that the inception of Cohere came out of a turbulent time. Johnson’s story is a story of perseverance, of hard work, and of success. She is a Philadelphia native, an urban planner, a creative, and a woman I very much admire. It was great to talk with her about her journey and passion. She has both grit and grace and a passion for sustainability.

Welcome to the second season of the Supra Endura creative conversations podcast. We are so excited to kick this season off with a conversation with artist Carla Weeks. I got to visit Carla in her studio and learn about how she found her way into her craft. Carla’s artwork ranges from painting to murals to textiles. She has a deep understanding of color and shape and layers her motifs to make a cohesive collection. She works in her studio in west Philly her doggy Aggy, but also loves to travel and finds inspiration in the natural world.

Welcome back to another solo episode with me, host Gabrielle Mandel. I talk about what I learned in the next five years working in the fashion industry. With my budding startup, Supra Endura, I applied and got accepted to the fashion business accelerator the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator. I go over what I learned and how I managed to grow my business as a solo entrepreneur. I also started to work for Urban Outfitters and began to teach at Made Institute. I talk about what it was like pitching and then executing collaborations with Urban Outfitters and The Wistar Institute. In 2017 I got offered a full-time design role on Anthropologie’s Home textile team and I talk about how I balance my full-time work with running my business. The episode is full of great creative business take aways and what it is like to really work in the Fashion Industry.

Welcome to my first solo episode of Supra Endura: Creative Conversation. In this episode, I talk about my first five years of working in the fashion industry. After graduating at the height of the recession, I moved to New York with just an internship and a sublet. I chronicle what it was like working as a design associate at J. Crew, a technical jewelry designer at Rebecca Minkoff and my crazy freelance gig working for the Nicki Minaj and Adam Levine line for Kmart. I also talk about the beginning of Supra Endura. I want to share all that I have learned working in this crazy and fascinating industry. Spoiler alert, I quit 2 jobs with nothing lined up. While it felt crazy at the time, I knew I was unhappy and I trusted myself enough that I would figure it out. Each job I had taught me a new set of skills and strengthened my work as a designer. One of my first jobs ( it was part-time, but I am counting it!) was working for an independent designer who was a solo entrepreneur. Working with her really helped me understand how I could one day run my own business. It was great sharing this and reminiscing, I hope there are some helpful tidbits to help you with your own creative adventures.

We have finally wrapped up the first season of Creative Conversation and have started to do work on the second. This is a short reflection of what I have learned so far along with giving you an inside peek on what is to come.

This week we are so thrilled to have Naomi Stein of Design Manifest on the show. Naomi has an amazing design sense and makes every interior design project she works on picture perfect. Her style fuses modern and glamour with a hint of bohemian. When I first met Naomi, I was fascinated by the fact that she is self-taught. She joined her father’s contracting business, learned the ropes, and eventually began doing interior design projects. She helped grow the business into what it is today, and is seen as a tastemaker in the greater Philadelphia community. I loved hearing about her journey and what she learned along the way.

This week we have on DC Boyd of Neutral States Clothing. Neutral States Clothing was born out of a desire to see knit and woven fabric come together in one garment. The main goal of Neutral States is to bring knits and wovens to a neutral zone where they can coexist together in a beautiful and complimentary way. DC designed and creates all clothing and accessories in Philadelphia who has been hand knitting for fourteen years. She is also the proud mother of two.