Today we’d like to introduce you to Diamond Alexis.
Hi Diamond, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
11:07 started off as a boutique but, after about a year and a half of trying to run it, I figured out that it really just wasn’t something I was passionate about. I didn’t want to shut down my website because, to me, it felt like that would be me giving up. Instead, I told myself that when to time was right, I would eventually find something else and love it. In January of 2022, I randomly got really into anime, due to being unemployed and just graduating from college at that time, and it sparked some creativity in me to start painting. I’ve always considered myself an artist but painting is not something I usually did. I had decided to combine my love for the earth and my love for art by hand painting different animations on tote bags. I am a very earth-conscious person, so painting tote bags was my way of trying to do my part in helping the environment. Although my bags were doing well the money, I was making was not consistent enough so that I could run my business full time.
Fast forward, I then randomly picked up another hobby/ skill in May of 2022, which was crocheting. Crocheting was starting to trend at that time, so it just so happened to be perfect timing for me. I eventually perfected crochet enough to the point where I could start selling my creations. It was another great way for me to express myself so I started coming out with new/ innovative ideas, which caused my business to start doing really well. In February of this year, I was able to meet the rapper Smino at his Dallas show and gift him one of my fur crochet balaclavas. He talked about how much he loved it and even wore it to several of his other shows. That moment was big for me and gave me the confidence that I truly needed, so in March, I released my crochet durags across all platforms and ended up going viral on TikTok. No one truly prepares you for going viral, so while all the love was much appreciated, it was also a little overwhelming. Thankfully I had my mom there to be my biggest support system and was able to get everything done.
Today, I am happy to say that my business is doing really well. I was able to quit my job and do what I love and focus on my business full-time. I am focused on more ways to create wearable art whether that is through crochet, painting, or something else. I have so many new things that are going to be coming out very soon and so many great opportunities coming my way. I am very thankful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course not. I started all of this when I had just graduated college at the start of the pandemic and while unemployed, so finding money, resources, and time were a huge factor for me. Not only that, but there were a lot of people around me who just couldn’t see the same vision I had. Their doubt caused me to have doubt which then pushed me further away from reaching my full potential. Luckily, I have gotten through all of that now, and I am mentally stronger and more prepared for all of the struggles that may come with this new chapter I am entering.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist who is known for their fiber art (crochet). I literally do so many things that I don’t like to categorize myself. Categorizing myself feels like I’m essentially putting myself into a box, and who likes boxes? For crocheting, I specialize in headwear. I make bucket hats, durags, ski masks, balaclavas, and more. All of my items are catered to everyone, so everything is unisex. For painting, I only do animations. I am not a realism painter, so I mostly stick to cartoons, anime, or simplistic designs.
I am most proud of the confidence that I have gained since starting my new venture. I am now able to take more risks without being scared, which is really huge when owning a business. I am also proud of my consistency. I tend to start things sometimes and not finish but because I know this is something I really want to do; I have gotten over being that way.
What sets me apart from others is my originality. I can confidently say that with my designs, my website, marketing, and more that I truly am myself and try to stick with what it is that I want. I try not to let outside people influence my thought process too much because I feel like that’s when I would lose myself and the originality that I have for my business.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was a very introverted. I didn’t have many friends and hated school with a passion. Music and art were the only things that kept me sane. Music was my main outlet when I was younger, giving me the opportunity to listen to different artists and relate to them. Tyler, the Creator had, and still does, have a huge impact on my life. He always reminded me, through his music, that it was ok for me to be different, even as a black kid who wasn’t into “stereotypical black things.”
I always remember my dad being a great artist growing up, so that is where my love for drawing came from. I would always have drawing competitions with him and convince him to draw me small little doodles. I remember wanting to be as great of an artist as him. I started pushing myself to learn as many different skills and crafts as I possibly could. That then started the tradition of me learning at least 3 new skills every year.
Contact Info:
- Website: Shop1107.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_diamondalexis_/ https://www.instagram.com/1107products/
- Facebook: https://www.tiktok.com/@diamondalexism
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/603teddy
Image Credits
Raven Serita
