ALAYNA ROE is committed to sustainability by increasing the longevity of garments

Alayna Roe is a project created and run by Brooklyn based creative Alayna Nieters. She is committed to sustainability by increasing the longevity of garments through redesign of vintage garments and custom redesign projects.

‘We shop to find unique pieces that can be revamped to become more modern staples and aim to mend, decorate or recreate garments to reduce the need to buy new clothes. Each garment is handpicked and reimagined to be a one of a kind contemporary piece.’ – https://www.alaynaroe.com 

 

INTERVIEW with Alayna Roe for VPRCOM Magazine

http://ifcus.org/2013/10/12/school-layout/full-development-view-2/ When did you first realize you wanted to launch ALAYNA ROE?

I think the idea has always been floating around in my head, but I realized I wanted to define my relationship with Alayna Roe when I lost my job a year after moving to NYC. I had been struggling creatively since I’d moved, and when I finally found the time to sit down and ideate my brand vision, I was able to officiate the birth of Alayna Roe.

http://livingriver.eu/?m=202102 If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career what would it be? 

There are so many more opportunities than what is initially presented to you! You can find a way to make the industry work for you. Don’t feel beholden to the archaic fashion industry model.

How do you want your clients to feel when wearing ALAYNA ROE pieces and in what occasions can be worn?

Above all, I want my clients to feel comfortable. Clothing is such a great form of self-expression,  but it can totally diminish our confidence if we feel uncomfortable wearing it. Each piece is one of a kind, and I want my clients to feel confident in expressing themselves through my clothing. I think Alayna Roe can be worn for any occasion! I have even recently started thinking about reworking vintage wedding dresses…stay tuned for more on that.

Can you tell us how your collections makes a difference to help more the environment?

I work with the slow fashion model. Each piece is one of a kind. Instead of focusing on “collections,” I aim to make each piece timeless, rather than trendy. I source ethically by selecting vintage pieces that already need mending or total recreation. Thrifting and redesigning has become so buzzy recently, which, in a lot of ways, is great because it deters shoppers from buying new or fast fashion, but buying used clothing can still be problematic. As much as possible, any fabrics that I use are sourced from fabric recyclers. I do my best to reuse even the smallest left-over scraps from redesigning!

What do you think is the biggest challenge for a designer who promotes diversity?

I think the biggest challenge to incorporating diversity is doing so in a way that does not exploit people. Alayna Roe has room for improvement in promoting diversity, and it is important to me to remain honest about where I have room to grow and open to a critical eye. As I continue to grow the brand, I look forward to finding more ways to diversify Alayna Roe. 

There is one important person, in your life, who pushes and motivates you to believe in yourself?

My parents are both self-employed business owners. I’ve always been inspired by their continued success and the way they advocate for themselves. Even at a young age, that inspiration had a huge impact on my life. Seeing them struggle and eventually persevere with their businesses helped to shape my understanding of the ups and downs that could come with starting a business. They have continued to inspire me and motivate me to keep going.

How do you think a label should motivate its collaborators?

We all want to make it. We all post photos that showcase our successes and are way less forthcoming about any failures, and that’s not always helpful for young designers or collaborators to take in. I think we, as brands, need to motivate our collaborators and successors to be more honest about the winding trails that we all travel. There are many different paths to get to your definition of success, and that is something that should be celebrated.

Describe us you as a creative in your personal life and how your feelings influence the creativity process?

I am such an open book. I need to process and talk through my feelings constantly to achieve greater peace, as well as an understanding of those feelings. I suffer from depression and anxiety and sometimes, when I’m spiraling, the most immediate way of managing my mental health is to create. If I can sit down, get out of my own head, and make something, I always feel better.

Would you like to involve other creatives in your future projects and what do you think is the main mission of the CO-BRANDING concept? 

Yes! I love being able to collaborate with my clients and other creatives. I think it is a great opportunity to expand, not only our design skills but also how we can all utilize ethical practices. 

What is the slogan of ALAYNA ROE? 

Custom and collaborative redesign.

What are the next steps for your label, in order to grow up more?

I am currently working on expanding Alayna Roe’s sizing and looking to ethically source plus-size vintage. Each garment is one of a kind, and I want to offer more inclusive sizing to clients who may feel excluded from much of the sustainable clothing movement. I feel really excited about this next step!

Sound Good? Go Shopping: https://www.alaynaroe.com/shop