Today’s interview is with Natalia Gemma from Yorscarf. Check out these beautiful innovative scarves!
Tell us a little bit about Yorscarf and your design collective, who are you all ?
Yorscarf’s founders are young professionals who look to differentiate themselves in this world. Wearing scarves at school, at work, or anywhere, makes us feel special and confident. A beautiful scarf, like a bag or shoes, will help a woman look prettier and sexier by adding a unique final touch to an outfit. However, chic scarves from luxury brands are always too far to dream of. Therefore, we create Yorscarf, which makes fashionable and trendy scarves more affordable to young professional women.
Why did you decide to form a collective?
We formed as a collective in order to provide women high quality, beautiful design scarves at a fraction of designer scarves’ price. We are passionate about textiles and design and boosting women’s confidence through fashion.
What do you think makes a successful design collective?
I believe that great communication, dedication, and shared vision of end product makes a great collaborative. Also, willingness to learn from each other and mutual respect has really made this experience so enjoyable as our relationships build throughout the process and we challenge each other to push out of our comfort zones.
What would you say is your main design element that brings you all together?
I would say our love for beautiful prints and hand-painted patterns. It’s rare to come across hand-painted, watercolor prints on scarves at an affordable price and everyone’s help with inspiration directs me to painting prints that are unique and significant to our product.
What are you working on currently (as a collective)?
We are currently working on raising money on Kickstarter so we can begin designing our Spring/Summer collection and promote our product further:) Please see the video below….
What kind of designers/design collective do you want to be known as?
We call ourselves fashion designers yet I think my particular role requires me to keep my title as artist since Thao and Jasmine are responsible for coming up with the amazing shape of this accessory and I focus more on the surface pattern.
What advice would you give emerging designers who are also looking to start their own design collective?
If you’re going to begin to develop an idea make sure you dedicate yourself 100% and don’t give up when slight conflicts arise- mistakes are bound to happen but they will only cause you to grow as a designer and learning from your mistakes is the best way to gain experience.
What would be your dream design gig?
I honestly believe I have my dream job right now:) I love the art I make everyday in California and the opportunities I receive through freelance such as Yorscarf provide a beautiful balance and variety of all my artistic design and textile interests!
Looking ahead what are your major goals for the next couple of years?
As a company, Yorscarf’s goal is to jump off after the Kickstarter campaign and grow in exploring difference shapes, fabrics and prints to better suit all women customers. As a designer, I plan on consistently challenging myself to explore new textile design techniques and discover new inspiration through traveling. I want to learn as much as I can from other artists in order to connect with people outside the studio environment.
If you were a pattern what kind of a pattern would you be and why?
If I were pattern I think I would be a leafy floral because I am constantly inspired and engaged with nature but I feel as if I am in a stage of life where I’ve learned the skills and roots of my trade without having fully blossomed into knowing exactly what kind of artist/designer I am. There are many different paths to choose in life and I feel as if I will never have the ability to settle for only one.
I am Natalia Gemma and I am Head Designer of Yorscarf Providence. I graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2012 and have been designing textiles and prints ever since. I currently moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, California where I am working as a fulltime artist and freelance textile designer. I recently joined the wonderful people at Yorscarf to design this Fall Collection of Prints and am so proud and excited for this product to emerge.
Connect with Natalia & Yorscarf here: Website | Facebook | Kickstarter
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