Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Stoner.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I create clothing and accessories from deadbolt, secondhand materials, and trash and host educational events to inspire circularity. Here’s the backstory – When I was a teenager, my mom worked at a place on the square that was near a thrift store. Every day after school, I’d walk there and just dive headfirst into vintage garments and strange smelling things. Eventually, I’d buy something that was a little ugly on me, but I’d like the fabric or label (I loved seeing the Women’s Guild and Made in USA) and then, I’d just give it a little tweak, and voila! I’d have my very own couture piece. 20 years later, and I’m still taking the treasure from the trash!
Great, 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?
There are definitely faster roads to success in the fashion design industry than by being a die-hard, second-hand, upcycling grouch. But the real challenge is changing the industry, and I think that’s happening right now. Transformative and creative design is shifting fashion.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I started learning about the ugliness of the fashion industry as I got older. Films like True Cost Movie, RiverBlue, and local experiment The Blue Index impacted how I thought about my creativity even more. I really loved finding special pieces that told interesting stories, and as clothing prices seem to plummet along with quality, I felt inclined to always try to be genuine. That meant choosing and creating clothing that told a story that I was interested in and that made me feel good. I started to hate hearing about bargains and discounts and great deals. All of those stories are riddled with sadness, sometimes slavery, and always pollution and waste. I discovered that there were much better stories my clothing could tell. So, I try to find or create those better stories through inventive creativity, upcycling, and circular consumption.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Every year for several, I host an event in partnership with the Fashion Revolution and Global Fashion Exchange to encourage second-hand shopping and swapping. Each year is hard because I want a million people to show up, and even though that hasn’t happened, every year is bigger and better. Other events pop up, and people are starting to really talk about the industry in a new, more valuable way. Things are coming to the surface – the violence, the pollution, the inhumanity, and cruelty – and I’m proud that as a society, it feels like we are finally done looking away from those realities. Fashion is starting to FEEL GOOD again and I’m happy to be involved in this change. 🙂
Pricing:
- Your Own Upcycled Look $25
- Downcycled Wedding Dress $50
- Outfit Upcycle from Scratch $50
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thryfted.com
- Email: contact@thryfted.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thryfted
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thryfted/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thryfted
Image Credit:
Jordan Williams @feb.visuals
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