all the art we love, we love from a place of nothingness.

all the art we love, we love from a place of darkness. because from darkness, the supernova of inspiration, of admiration, of connection emerges — illuminating our love of a story, a person, a place, a sentiment that also rests inside of us. from darkness, inspiration strikes. from darkness, new connections are made. from darkness, emerges light.

I recognized this from a young age, and see it clear as ever today. I’ve come to a new appreciation of darkness, as well as an awareness of what can only be birthed in light. today, I clearly understand the simple, gentle explanation for doing so . . . from the mystery of darkness, my grandest ideas, cuddliest feelings, and most motivating inspirations strike. and from the clarity of light, my mind makes connections and figures out mathematical ways in which to make something, anything, realistically whole. I need the both.

I went off to study the business of fashion because I didn’t merely want to study the process of creation — of light emerging from dark. I wanted to find out what happens after the light. I wanted to learn to manipulate light to make dreams come true. practically, I wanted to learn how, after a clothing designer had shown a new collection, that they could make a profitable life off of it — how they could make the world a better place from it. I wanted to learn how manipulative left-brain ways could make creative right-brain ways make civilized sense. 

in companies and designers that I have admired, I have noted this back and forth dance between ART and MANIPULATION. of darkness and of light. on one end is inspiration and origin, and on another end is structure and completion. both, to me, are necessary for the order of the universe to manifest itself. left and right brain create each other. left and right brain create you.

yes, there are entities in fashion (and other creative businesses) that bother me — there are ethical, societal, psychological concerns that I can’t deny. and yet, there are are entities fashion that can’t deny how much I adore — those that I have studied who marry art and manipulation so beautifully, so purposefully.

I am thankful to now work with, and around, people who recognize and practice this as well. I am so grateful for these two halves that create such a whole.