In celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd, Urban Outfitters expands on its commitment to sustainability by releasing four one-of-a-kind capsule collections from emerging vintage and handmade designers: Burger Babie, Birthday Girl, Different Bugs and Tessa Fay. We sat down with the founders of these brands to learn more about their creative processes and the inspiration behind their collections.
Addeline, aka Burger Babie, is a painter and illustrator based out of Fort Wayne, IN. Inspired by all things old, nostalgic, sometimes forgotten, she always finds a way to incorporate them into here wild characters and paintings. She enjoys making childlike art that makes people smile but also raise an eyebrow when they take a closer look.
UO: Tell us about your creative process – how do your pieces come to be?
Burger Babie: My creative process is very "Just roll with it." I like to draw the first thing that comes to mind when creating my flash characters no matter how silly the idea may seem and see where it takes me. Not all ideas are winners of course, but that just adds to the fun of figuring out what work. It's like a puzzle of sorts (at least that's what I tell myself so that it feels fun). I try to push myself to trust the process, not give up on ideas, and just let everything fall into place! I like art because nothing has to be permanent and you can always start fresh. It's just paint after all!
UO: When did you starting creating one of a kind pieces?
Burger Babie: I’ve always had a big love for vintage clothing and textiles. I stumbled upon an old style of painted pants people used to make back in the day called "Senior Chords" and got wildly inspired by the colors and bootleg designs. I knew I had to start making my own versions of those pieces. Once I made one, it got the ball rolling and now people send me jackets and pants they want customized and I paint them up crazy! I'm obsessed with how faded and worn the original pieces that inspire me are so make mine the same way so that over time they also get that authentic thrashed and loved look that I love so much!
UO: How did you get into design?
Burger Babie: I never thought I would be making custom clothing as often as I do or even making art as my full time job, it's really been a dream come true! I didn't go to college and I'm completely self taught so everything I've gotten myself into has simply come from trial and error and just doing what feels right! As far as clothing goes, I made the first piece and people just really liked how it translated onto clothing and wanted some of their own. Had people not liked it so much I would have continued making them for myself, but making them for others feels just as good.
UO: Who are some of your creative inspirations?
Burger Babie: I'm inspired by so much! I pull ideas from vintage children books, old tattoo flash, textiles, old ads, cartoons, and more! As far as who inspires me the list is never ending, especially with social media, but a few of my all time favorite artists are Robert Crumb, Robert Williams, and Heather Benjamin. I also feel super lucky to work next to two amazing artists in my day to day life, Grace Yencer and Jared Andrews, and love to bounce Ideas off them and get super motivated seeing what they are up to work wise.
UO: Is there a material you love to work with and why?
Burger Babie: I'm simple and prefer just painting on canvas or denim. I've tried a lot of different materials but I always go back to the basics.
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Birthday Girl is a textile based brand, hand-painted in Los Angeles by Keely Murphy. The brand lives online and houses Keely’s interests, rooted in her background in styling, collecting vintage, and painting. The collection is inspired by prints and vintage pieces from every era and designed for all ages. A mix of dresses, shirts, skirts, accessories, and housewares that are meant to be for anyone, while still maintaining a level of playfulness and flirtiness intrinsic to Keely's approach to personal style.
UO: Tell us about your creative process – how do your pieces come to be?
Birthday Girl: It usually begins with sourcing vintage blanks, I spend a lot of time combing through eBay for interesting pieces to bring back to life with a new print. This ranges from dog sweatshirts to silk dresses. Once I have an interesting group together I start painting, reiterating some of my evergreen prints and experimenting with new ideas. Switching between made to order best sellers and one of one pieces brings a balance of creativity and consistency to my practice.
UO: When did you start creating one-of-a-kind pieces?
Birthday Girl: I made my first painted dresses in 2015 when I was finishing college! I kept them in my closet while I pursued working as a commercial stylist, knowing it was an idea I wanted to come back to. In 2020 I finally launched my website with a small selection of prints and blanks, and have been evolving since.
UO: How did you get into design?
Birthday Girl: I was in art programs and painting classes since I was in elementary school. I attended the studio art program at UCLA and working in the fashion industry afterward gave me the experience I needed to go out on my own. I loved working with clothes but wanted to be making my own.
UO: Who are some of your creative inspirations?
Birthday Girl: I am an avid vintage collector in every category. As a teenager I was always at thrift stores and swap meets, my colorful closet and home are full of references and inspiration. I’ve always loved pattern clashing and occasion dressing, I try to bring my personal ethos of creating a fun and functional wardrobe to the brand.
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Different Bugs is an independent brand focused on translating all that is indescribable through the language of jewelry. What cannot be said by words is transformed into one-of-a-kind pieces of art that you can wear when you need an escape from reality. Sabrina Harris, the creator of Different Bugs, pulls inspiration from the infinite universe within her subconscious to create physical manifestations of the world inside her mind. All pieces are handcrafted by Sabrina Harris, and contain moments and memories from her life.(She also hates bugs, but loves the way they look).
Q+A
Tell us about your creative process – how do your pieces come to be?
My creative process comes from my synesthesia, so everything in this world is translated into shapes, colors, and patterns. For the pieces I made for UO, I really wanted to take materials that have been lying around, haven't been utilized, and necklaces I've taken apart. I used a lot elements from my life and other people's lives in this capsule collection and let the materials do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of inspiration. I also wanted to mix together elements from the natural world with whimsical and artificial pieces.
When did you start creating one-of-a-kind pieces?
It started in 2019 when I began experimenting with different materials, methods, and mediums in making pieces. I wanted to combine all of the skills I have learned over the years of doing different types of art. It didn't
really pick up until 2020.
How did you get into design?
I have always been an artist, but I had never dabbled in visual art. When jewelry as a medium came to me, I let all of this pent-up artistic rage feed into the pieces I was making. I have always viewed my work as a form of sculpture and physical art than jewelry. There's a lot of room for happy accidents. Design has always been a part of my family. My grandparents on either side of my family worked in the garment industry in New York. My mother used to work on wedding dresses and bridal designs before I was born. In a way, design is in my blood.
Who are some of your creative inspirations?
One of my biggest creative inspirations is probably Salvador Dali because of the way his art is a reflection of the subconscious mind, which is very similar to how I create my designs. I like to let the endless “dreamworld” inside of my head take control without me really questioning how or why it came to be.
Is there a material you love to work with and why?
One of my favorite parts of being a jewelry designer is sourcing some of the strangest and most unique looking vintage glass beads, and throughout my career I have found some amazing tiny works of art! My favorite era of fashion and design is the 1960’s, and I have found some of the most interesting looking glass beads and pendants from that time. They are also my favorite because they are so scarce and one-of-a-kind, so they are impossible to pass up on once I set my eyes on them!
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Tessa Fay is an American independent designer brand that specializes in handmade clothing for the feminine eclectic. Founded in 2020 by grandmother/daughter duo, Tessa Thompson and Fay Brassie, each garment is upcycled from vintage and salvaged upholstery & drapery fabrics, and sustainably made-to-order in their Atlanta based studio. The southern duo ensures unique feminine & timeless styles, heirloom quality craftsmanship, and conversation-starter clothing pieces guaranteed to give you butterflies and make you dance in your bathroom mirror.
UO: Tell us about your creative process – how do your pieces come to be?
Tessa Fay: It typically involves using whatever fabric treasure I find as a foundation for my designs. Since our fabrics are often unique and limited in quantity, they become the focal point of our pieces. When I discover a particularly inspiring fabric, I’m eager to begin creating and tend to bypass extensive planning and preparation. Instead, I dive right into creating whatever dress or garment that will showcase the fabric's individuality and beauty in the best way possible.
UO: When did you start creating one-of-a-kind pieces?
Tess Fay: We are technically a product of the pandemic. I was trapped inside and going stir-crazy with a sewing machine I could barely use and determined to create something. I couldn’t go anywhere to source fabric so I pulled my shower curtain off the rod and made my first dress. The rest is history.
UO: How did you get into design?
Tessa Fay: I’ve always been passionate about fashion and personal style. I went to school for fashion merchandising where I got a small glimpse of the design process. Gammie (Fay) filled in the gaps by teaching me how to sew and construct garments in a way that is resourceful and inspiring. She grew up making clothes for herself and sister, winning national dressmaking competitions, and spent her life as an art teacher and floral designer/sculptor. We have a similar eye and creative mindset so working together comes easy and the time we spend together is priceless!
UO: Who are some of your creative inspirations?
Tess Fay: I draw a lot of inspiration from vintage interiors, specifically in my grandmother’s house. For every dress we’ve made, I guarantee there is an eclectic wallpaper, trimmed curtain valance, or themed dinner set in a room somewhere to complement it.
UO: Is there a material you love to work with and why?
Tess Fay: Our pieces are created entirely from salvaged upholstery and drapery fabrics. The older, the better! I am always on the lookout for fabrics that embody some combination of romanticism, interest, nostalgia, and playfulness. I’m particularly drawn to toiles, unique florals, and bold vintage patterns. Because of the scavenged nature of our sourcing methods, we don’t always know the exact fiber content so it’s like a fun fashion experiment!
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