Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Magruder.
Hi Julie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from Maryland and came to Texas by way of North Carolina. My sister and her family live here, and she’s very persuasive, so here I am! I’ve been a self-employed graphic designer for over ten years, but really wanted a deeper creative outlet and also to create my own unique products. I finally landed on painting second-hand designer cashmere sweaters. The entire process, from creating the designs to painting the sweaters to the product photography, inspires my creative drive. It all just fits. I’m obsessed with photography right now, which is extremely beneficial to the process.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road! Launching a business is extremely difficult, especially in the beginning. It’s hard to get a foot in the door, and you have so many great ideas and no time to actually do them. Stash Cashmere started as a side hustle (like so many great entrepreneurial projects), so on top of doing everything for Stash (creating designs, making products, building a website, keeping up with social media, etc.) I’m also maintaining my day job to pay for everything! Aside from the lack of time and sleep, I think the biggest obstacle is breaking through your comfort zone and really putting yourself out there. I’m sure a lot of creative entrepreneurs can relate – but you spend about 50% of the time thinking your work/product/service is amazing, and the other 50% wondering why you thought this was a good idea in the first place. I know it sounds cliché, but believing in yourself and pushing past self-doubt is key.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Stash Cashmere is rescuing boring cashmere, one sweater at a time. I source second-hand designer cashmere sweaters and upcycle them by painting them with one of my custom designs. Each sweater is the only one – completely unique. Cashmere is a very delicate material, which makes printing on it problematic and limited, so it’s rarely done commercially. The other options for adding designs to cashmere, Jacquard weaving, and embroidery, are expensive and also limited, which is why the majority of cashmere is plain and boring. This is a shame because cashmere is such a luxurious material; it deserves to have more personality. Something had to be done. I’ve taken it to the artisan level and developed a process to hand print the sweaters, infusing them with character and personality. Now, what was a very luxurious basic sweater is transformed into a very luxurious statement piece. To date, I’m not sure that anyone else is actually hand painting second-hand cashmere sweaters. I’m probably the only person hard-headed enough to look at this very problematic process and say, “I can do that.”
I only use second-hand cashmere sweaters and have no plans to source a cashmere manufacturer. Sustainable fashion shouldn’t be a punch line. There is so much waste in the fashion industry, and there are so many designer sweaters available. I love how using second-hand designer sweaters influences the design of each sweater and keeps each creation completely unique. I also get to benefit from the beautiful quality of high-end designer labels. They’ve already created an amazing product; why not use it to create something new? I would also be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the “hunt” too…I love finding the perfect sweater to paint!
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been artistic and creative, maybe a touch dramatic. I painted murals on my bedroom walls, loved fantasy worlds, and made messes with art supplies. All the right ingredients for a person who wants to create a lifetime of art!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stashcashmere.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stashcashmere/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stashcashmere
Image Credits
Silken Kelly
