Grateful

As I look back at 2021, one word that sums it up best is …Grateful. No one knew how 2021 would treat us after the pandemic from 2020, but through the uncertainty, I found inspiration.

I created the Infinity Collection for my 8th year anniversary, I had multiple photoshoot collaborations, I co-produced the Revival Fashion Show, and I now have my brand at the Outlets of Des Moines.

2021 was pretty damn good to me, and I'm grateful for it all.

 

I am only as good as the people I surround myself with, and for everyone who was a part of 2021 with me…THANK YOU! You made me better. You pushed me out of my comfort zone. You believed in me.

I cannot exist without customers, loyal supporters, photographers, models, show assistants, my comrade of local designers/business owners, and my family and friends. I am not AVCD without any of you.

THANK YOU!

Progression

Summer is coming to an end, and I think it has helped jumpstart a new drive for me. I tend to slack during the summer, and now I feel like I need to make up for it. I’m ready to focus on what’s next for AVCD.

We just wrapped up our 3^rd Revival show, and although it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped for, I’m happy we did it. It only makes me want to make sure the next one is even better. It’s always inspiring to get together with other designers and see their work – it definitely helps motivate me to keep working on my craft.

All I know is that I need to step up on every level with AVCD – photos, videos, designs, marketing, business progression, ect. The only way to make this brand grow is to keep pushing forward with ideas and taking more risks. That will be my goal in the next year – how can I make this brand move in the direction I visualize for it.

I do feel like there’s a place for my brand amongst the cluttered world of fashion and clothing stores, and I’m thinking of ways to expand AVCD. Do I reach out to boutiques to sell my designs, or continue to promote online? Or do I bite the bullet and take a huge risk with opening my own shop? I need to do a lot of thinking on that last one, but in the meantime, I have no issue tackling the others. I just need to be more conscious and strategic with marketing and networking.

I have a great network of friends and family who push me to be better. For those who’ve helped me along the way, I just want to say thank you. Success is a collaborative effort.

Gratitude

Gratitude. A word that is often nonexistent in our daily lives. Maybe it’s the culture we live in, or maybe we’ve just forgotten how to be thankful. And I’m not talking about being thankful for material wealth or social status. I’m talking about the true appreciation for our wellbeing.

For me gratitude comes and goes. It does get lost in the everyday grind and hustle of life. We’re constantly being thrown “influence” on how to life our lives, how to better ourselves, how to grow our wealth, ect. Sometimes it seems as though we’ve forgotten how to listen to ourselves. We need to be better at leading ourselves.

I get trapped inside this whirlwind of pushing myself to reach this point of where I think I should be. I get caught in a mind trap of thinking I am not good enough with where I’m currently at- I need to be better. I can’t tell you where that “achievement” place is, but I’ve been conditioned to feel that way by social media and the outside world. It’s like a sickness.

Gratitude is about being thankful for what you have right now. Appreciating the life you are living right now. Recognize all the goodness in today. I know it’s easier said than done, but when you allow yourself to just breathe for today it becomes so much easier.

Everyone has their struggles, their heartaches, their worries….we’re all human and we all feel the ups and downs of life. It’s okay to not be okay and to feel those things, but don’t forgot to feel the warmth of the good things. They exist too.

Gratitude is also about being thankful for your past. Whether is was good or bad, it led you to today. Maybe something was built from the past to help you succeed now. Maybe being at the wrong place showed you where you needed to go. Maybe someone from your past motivated you to work harder for your dreams. Positive things from the past are easy to recognize, but the hard times need their moment too. They shaped you into who you are today. That's worth some gratitude.

I will try to slow down this rush of self-achievement I’ve placed on myself to appreciate my life for what it is right now. Not for what I wished it would be, but for everything it has already become. I want to meet each day with gratitude for I don’t know how many I’ll have left. We never know.

Be grateful for another day, appreciate the little things in your life, be thankful for your loved ones. Give yourself some grace today. No one is perfect, and everyone is still just trying to figure themselves out. Life is a journey, it’s not a race. It’s crazy and messed up at times, but it’s also beautiful. Be thankful for that beauty.

Thoughts On The Future Industry

The future of the clothing industry is going to be led by technology and sustainability. These elements are already being put at the center of many businesses. Just like any other industry, change and adaptation are key components to the success or failure of any enterprise. As I look to the future with AVCD, I’m trying my best to stay current with how sustainability is being catered to and lead by professionals.

I almost think tech is one of those areas that is the last frontier when it comes to fashion. It can advance the way we produce and wear clothing. I hope technology never replaces the authenticity of a designer who creates garments, but I am genuinely interested in how it can be used for beneficial purposes.

For instance, temperature regulated clothing. If the clothing we wore could decrease or increase the temperature for us, that could be a beneficial factor. Maybe this is something that could be provided for the homeless throughout the winter months. We already know there’s clothing out there that will charge your phone or that is water resistance, but who knows what the future of technology will bring to the clothing industry. Maybe it will have a positive impact on humanity.

My heart is centered around sustainability and secondhand clothing. With the younger generations becoming more eco conscious, this trend is expected to grow and gain mainstream attention. Consumers will be more concerned of how and where their clothing is made.  Organic fabrics, biodegradable materials, fair trade, and upcycling will be the focus of this movement. I say movement because I truly believe we must make this a bigger priority in our shopping habits. I love this planet, and I just hope more people will commit to buying sustainable.

Here’s an article I found that lists 30+ of the most ethical and sustainable fashion brands in the USA and Canada. You can add one more to that list with AVCD!

https://goodonyou.eco/most-ethical-and-sustainable-clothing-brands-from-us-and-canada/

Mental Health

If you didn’t know, May is mental health awareness month. I believe it’s important for everyone to take time for themselves and just slow down a bit. We live in such an overworked culture that we almost forget to enjoy our lives. We’re always worried about money, our jobs, the world around us, and often times we jeopardize our own health in doing this. We cause extra stress and anxiety for ourselves that doesn’t need to be there.

I can be such anxiety driven at times that it becomes burdensome for me. I’m sure there are others out there that can relate to this. We get so caught up in the world around us telling us to be better than who we are, to lose weight, to be prettier, to be wealthier, to pick sides, to raise our children a certain way, ect. It’s all so exhausting!

I’m tired. Aren’t you?

We need to challenge ourselves to be better for our mental health…nothing else. Take time to do small things throughout your day that brings you joy. Read a book, bake some cookies, take a walk, take a nap, call up a friend. Whatever it is that brings happiness to you, you should make a little time to enjoy it.

Don’t let this world tell you who you should be or how you should live your life. You know yourself the best, and you need to put yourself first. For me, I’m going to make a better effort to go on more walks and read more often. I hope you all can find something that will bring a little more joy to your daily lives.

 

Infinity Reclaim Program

Last week I launched my new discount program – The Infinity Reclaim!

Shoppers and supporters of AVCD can donate gently used clothing to me and receive discounts on future purchases. They also have a 2^nd option to have the sales from their donated clothing go towards a charity. I’m happy to share this project that will hopefully help promote sustainability and give back to the community.

Since last week, I’ve had a few people send me donated fabrics – it’s heartwarming to see the responses from the reclaim launch. I appreciate anyone who is willing to be a part of this initiative and do something great for the earth and for others.

I’m thinking about adding a small icon to the listings that will have donated sales.  I think the shoppers would appreciate knowing which items have been selected as charity sales.  

I just have a lot of energy this year, and I have more ideas to share in the next up coming months. Just trying really hard to think of innovated ways to expand my brand through my work and the causes I care about. I honestly believe you are only truly happy when you’re doing what you love and when you’re doing something positive for the universe.

XOXO

-Amber

Behind The Designs

There’s a lot more than sewing and design when it comes to running a fashion brand. Some nights are dedicated to the actual business and/or marketing plans I’ve had to create. For someone like myself, who never took business in college, I’ve had to learn about the industry and business concepts as I progress with my brand. This doesn’t always come easily to me, but I’m always researching and learning about new things so I can progress.

I’m trying hard this year to be better about splitting up my time as well. Just like the design side needs time spent on making the actual clothing, the business side also needs its time to grow, plan, and advance. I research entrepreneur business sites, start up fashion blogs, other brands, and I even read up on articles about the future of the fashion industry. I need these sources so I can plan out how to take my brand to the next level. If I want to be in this for the long game, then I need to be able to follow along with business trends within this industry. The time spent on research and gaining more inside knowledge is important to me.

Knowledge can be so powerful, and I want to be an expert in this industry on how I produce, promote, and run my clothing business. Someday I would like to look back and say I did everything I could to get this brand up off the ground and turn it into something special….make it into a fashion empire!

So just know the next time you see me posting a cute and fun picture, I’m also behind the scenes running a business. All of the invisible work is still a huge part of this journey, even if it’s only meant for me to witness.