Before Starting Crystal W Design
Topics and Collections
Growing up Creatively
My mom homeschooled my two siblings and me, and it was the highlight of my childhood. With self-initiated craft and sewing projects, my creativity was nurtured. Transitioning to public school at age 13 wasn’t easy, but art was my escape. In art classes, I found mosaic, patterns, gouache, and linoleum block printing. I started dreaming about being an independent creative when I “grew up”. Growing up, as an aspiring fashionista, my grandma and I frequented thrift shops and yard sales to treasure hunt in New England. For me, that was clothes to tailor to the latest trends. I was drawn to print and pattern, tactile pieces, velvet, beadwork, and bright embroidered garments.
College RISD (Rhode Island School of Design)
My Grandma encouraged me to apply to RISD, and I got accepted with a scholarship, and I wrote my admission essay on thrifting with my grandma. I attended as a transfer student in textile design. My sophomore year started the day before 9/11; it was a memorable and horrific beginning. That year, I often felt lost and overwhelmed, but I became close with college friends, and we found our way together through it. Completing the weaving, dyes, and silkscreen classes, I was excited to finish exploring digital printing for my degree program.
Grammys treasures
Finding a job
Post 9/11, after college, the economy wasn’t great, especially for textile design, which historically had strong job placement above 90% for graduates with that degree. The free trade act that had been passed just around that time prompted the closure of many domestic textile manufacturers to outsource to overseas factories.
I had a professor who mentored me, helping me get my first design job in fashion. That was followed by designing wallpaper for a few years. Eventually, I moved across the country to Los Angeles to further my career.
Starting my business - transition
I worked my last full-time design job at a fun stationery company in Los Angeles. I continued with projects for them for another 2 years on a freelance basis, which helped buffer the gap before I started making money in my business.
Discovering Digital Printing
In 2012, I learned about print-on-demand (POD) sites from college friends. One was using Spoonflower to prototype portfolio samples, and another joined Society6, inspiring me to join. I saw digital printing as a gold mine to capture the delicate layers of watercolor in a way never done before. Digital printing seemed like an opportunity to create a cleaner textile industry, one that was less wasteful, more efficient, and opened the gates to small businesses.