Hey there! I am so glad you have made it to Helio's page. You might be wondering, who designs all these things and why? Well, my name is Annika, or you can also call me Ana. I'm just a quirky granola fashionista gal who wants to share her journey with the other quirky granola babes out there.
It all started with being bored. Yep. I have a hyper-sonic brain that is constantly on the move and dying to do, do, do. I've always liked making things. Eventually I convinced my grandma to teach me some sewing basics, and it absolutely rocked my world. The rest happened so fast. I started making my clothes for myself and for friends. Pretty soon I was convincing the Entrepreneurship department at my college to fund a sewing machine and club. Then I was working on a sustainable fashion brand with a group of radical ladies. Now, I'm flying solo, making sunny designs and creations in hopes of brightening someone's day.
But why? I wish I had a super compelling answer, but in all honesty I just wanted to create in a genuine and sustainable way. This planet means so much to me. It's the ground that I bike and run on. It's the slopes that I ski on. It's the rivers that I raft on. This planet is also what supplies the inspiration and energy I need for making art. Fashion as a whole has a pretty rough history with the environment and the wellbeing of humans. As a big advocate of self expression and creative outlets, it was hard for me to find a balance between getting dressed and being a good steward to the world. That's when I turned to using recycled and vintage material for my designs. What I found out, was not only is it more sustainable, but it also is a design feature all in itself. When I use recycled material, none of my pieces look the same and they all have their own personality. It's a pretty radical experience.
Anywhoos--thanks again for reading through my story. I am so excited to keep sharing the things that I make and my process. Let's all keep being unique, impossible, passionate, and caring.
Catch ya on the sunny-side-up,
Ana
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