Today we’d like to introduce you to Candace Collins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Candace. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born and raised in Plano, Texas. I’ve always been that art kid – doing anything and everything to be creative and in constant need to create something with their hands. I started with art as a kid but then got into fashion around 11 I believe, after hearing my mom talk about fashion designers and then sitting down and watching a fashion show and got hooked. I grew more and more attached and knew for certain what I wanted to do when I grew up. After high school, I decided to go to The University of North Texas. I had read about their fashion design program and how great it was plus it didn’t hurt that it was close to home. I received my BFA in Fashion Design in December 2015. Every soon to be graduate knows the increasing pressure of becoming part of the adult world. As I tried to find positions (with little to no luck) to apply to for after school, I had been suggested by one of my professors to apply for The Pin Show. With no clear direction, I decided to apply and was accepted for The Pin Show – their 2016 show. I wanted to use that opportunity as a jumping off point – my introduction to the Dallas Fashion community.
As I was finishing up the “No Restrictions” Collection for the Pin Show, I was contacted by a friend and classmate about a job with a pair of local designers and fellow alumni of North Texas. I knew I couldn’t turn it down. I realized a big part of me felt that I needed more experience in the industry before I took on running a business on my own. After spending all my time there and completely forgetting the goals I had set for myself – I decided to leave that job after a year and go down the original (and risky) path. It was a very long year of my life working and helping to grow someone else’s dream but I’m grateful for it – for all the knowledge I gained from it and perspective. I feel as though I’m in a better place to go out and accomplish my dreams. I’m really going down a path of creative exploration. I know the business I want to create and the message it will carry but I’m really taking it one step at a time and enjoying the journey.
I opened my online shop a little while later, offering print copies of paintings I painted and bohemian decorative pillows. I decided to offer home goods first and then work on adding clothing. I just needed to start creating again so that’s what I did. Since this was really a restart for me, I decided to go back to The Pin Show for the second time and reintroduce myself as a designer for their tenth anniversary show in February. I showed my current collection “Hope and Limbo”. “Hope and Limbo” is about reminding myself that I’m not stuck. That I can change my ‘backdrop’ (my life) at any point. This collection is a reminder to take back my time and focus; to believe in where I belong. It was inspired by my fears and uncertainty mixed with my faith and trust – all of which creates hope and limbo. I was driven by my need for nostalgia and to get back to the basics of my inspirations. A revival of sorts. I felt I had been living in my own self-created limbo and it was time for me to press play. And that’s where I’m at today – in my revival. Working hard to spread the word about my company, trying to collaborate with other fellow artists and to continue to grow as an artist myself.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Yeah, I’ve overcome a bit to get where I’m at. As a creative person, it can be hard to lead that passionate lifestyle while also having the lifestyle you have to lead in society. Finances usually play a huge role. I’m always in the need to create something- ideas are always running but most of the time finances aren’t flowing as fast and that can be frustrating. So, in return you try to work a lot of hours at a job to get the finances you need but in result you lose that time to create. Time, let me tell you so precious! At the end of it those creative juices tend to run low and you get wary about your talent and where you are in life. It’s hard to have a lot of goals and aspirations yet end up stuck not knowing how to overcome those mental obstacles. My current collection “ Hope and Limbo” speaks about just this. I started creating it a little over a year ago in pieces. I was going through a hard time personally and professionally. I decided to leave a promising career path because I started asking myself hard questions about how I was living. At the end of those long work days, I would ask myself what did I do to advance my life today and I would come up with nothing. And, I felt like I had wasted the day. 24 hours just gone – not accounted for. I realized I had created my own personal limbo. “I felt like running but couldn’t do it. I couldn’t get myself to get up and run. I knew where I wanted to go – far from where I was. I wanted to “get lost” in the possibilities I was too scared to acknowledge. I sat on the side of the road trying to make lists in my head and reasons not to get up and run in that very moment. I was going crazy – a silent crazy.”(Insert from my “Hope + Limbo” preface for the collection) I learned about myself and what I wanted out of life in those dark moments. “Even when you think there’s no chance you could feel it. It creeps back into your life with vengeance. Demanding to be heard and felt. ‘Hope and Limbo’ is about reminding myself that I’m not stuck. That I can change my backdrop, my life at any point. To take back my time and focus; believe in where I belong.
Fear and uncertainty mixed with faith and trust – all of which created Hope and Limbo. You can’t live in opposites. You can’t survive in opposites. You must decide – you must make a choice. To hope or to stay in your self-created L I M B O. Hope is my revival. Limbo was my self-created pause button. And it’s time to press continue.” (Insert from my “Hope + Limbo” preface for the collection) I wanted a collection full of color and happy shapes to signify that hope I held onto. I paid attention to the silhouettes and the overall vibe of going back to happier times (almost going back to the basics). I incorporated lettering to spell out words and phrases as if it’s the ongoing thoughts that run in your head as you plant self-doubt in your mind.
That’s why it meant so much for me to be part of The Pin Show this year. I reintroduced myself to the Dallas community as a designer – this is me pressing play on my story and where I truly want to be. It’s a fresh start from feeling like I didn’t have what it took to be the creative person I knew I was deep down. “I felt alone and tired. So tired. I looked up at the sky, at the vastness of it all. I thought about the people living their lives and living it without giving it much thought. They were somehow happy. I was jealous of that happiness.” (Insert from my “Hope + Limbo” preface for the collection) I found my happiness and power again and I hope this collection shows that.
While designing this collection, I witnessed a growth of strength and togetherness in the female community and it was truly inspiring for me. As a designer, whose target is the strong fearless, innovative woman I was so proud of that oneness. As a feminist, I saw the power in the “Me too” movement and “Times up”. I started to connect my message of the “Hope + Limbo” collection with the struggles I and other women have felt when sexually harassed, assaulted and abused. I started to add phrases from those movements along with female empowerment slogans. “Me too” and “Times Up” has offered our society hope for a better future for our children and it has helped wake us up from the limbo we’ve been in for far too long – a limbo filled with silence and fear.
My advice to other young woman trying to map their journey would be to sit yourself down and ask yourself hard questions. Hard questions that will help map where you want to go and be. Those hard questions will help you figure out the woman you want to be at the end of all of this. Life is so incredibly short and I’m a believer in spending your time so wisely (almost selfishly). Write your goals down and rewrite them so to embed them into the foreground of your mind to not forget. It’s hard I know – daily struggle will try and take your focus but you can’t let it. While you survive to make sure your dreams survive as well – you’ll be thankful you didn’t give up and that you took your time and spent it wisely. With every decision, ask yourself okay will this farther the big picture? Lastly, HAVE FUN and enjoy this journey – I remind myself that the “coming up” is the fun part and what I’ll smile back on at the finish line.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Wonders by Candace M Collins – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m a fashion designer and an artist. My company Wonders is a bohemian lifestyle brand that wants to connect with its customers on multiple levels of their life (from fashion, art and home goods). My influences include the freedom and musicality of the 70s, an unconventional (bohemian) attitude toward society and the deep appreciation and awareness of being in a moment and truly living that moment. I want to connect these major parts of the human experience as a social experiment of some sort and use it as a constant inspiration for Wonders. I’m known for creating attention grabbing prints paired with easy liberating silhouettes. I pay close attention to shape, color, placement and the overall vibe of every piece I make. I create for the strong, raw, fearless and innovative woman that doesn’t want to wear simple things but instead something that speaks to their groundbreaking life and personality. I believe clothes should be fun and last! I want my company to be a place you shop for long lasting statement pieces that you can easily mix and match with other pieces in your closet. My business model is slow fashion created on American soil. I want to bring honest ethnical practices back to fashion and our communities. I’m a painter, so I also offer original prints of my paintings on my online shop as well. And, a goal of mine is to create a place where other artists can come and sell their pieces as well. I’ve also dripped my toes in home decor by offering a small collection of decorative bohemian pillows. Wonders has become a safe haven for my creative exploration. I hope people see the creativity and wonder in it.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
I think some of the financial struggles I had growing up helps the thirst I have for success. I grew up wanting to make sure I did something I loved. I watched too many of my loved ones work at jobs just to pay their bills and to take care of their family. There’s nothing wrong with that – it’s amazing when someone works long hours to make sure their children live in the very best neighborhood to get the best education possible and to ensure there’s food on the table. I’m determined to not waste that education by making sure I continue to push myself to reach my dreams.
Honestly, my childhood is the reason why I set out to grow into the best version of myself. Watching my mom raise us while working crazy hours was so inspiring to me. As a young girl, I witnessed what it meant to be an independent woman – to be in complete control of your life and vices. That inspires me in my own personal and professional life. My target customer is that strong innovative woman that takes her independence so importantly – she makes her decisions of where to go and who to be based on her choices. Witnessing the passion my Dad has for knowledge unknowingly inspired me. As I got older, I grew to appreciate that silent workaholic spirit that pushed him to be the best in a competitive field. I learned to always stay on my toes and to work hard to stay ahead – that if I don’t understand something spend that extra time to understand it. Research, take notes and be a sponge! Work ahead to stay ahead is what I learned from my Dad – which is such great advice when starting a business and learning new skills for where you want to be. Opening a business is scary! I’m still scared of the possibilities and the responsibilities but I keep learning, taking it one step at a time and stay moving forward.
Contact Info:Website: wonderscmc.com
- Email: info@wonderscmc.com
- Instagram: wonderscmc
- Facebook: wonderscmc
Image Credit:
Candace M Collins, Shanita L Garrett, Viridiana Navarro, Thomas Garza
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