Today we’d like to introduce you to PARKER PARKER.
PARKER PARKER, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
What is my unique story… Should I start with the one where I backpacked through Thailand trying to find myself, because a guy from Ireland, I thought I was crushing on, wanted to go? Instead, I ended up going with my gay ex-husband? (this is the part of my story I fell in love with bright colors and started implementing them into my fashion designs) Perhaps the one where I had my first women’s runway show for my first ever collection, and I thought it was a good idea to take tequila shots with the models beforehand. I will fast forward to the learning lesson, bad idea, never have your models or yourself drink before walking down a runway. Or even the story of how I accidentally married a gay man.. I feel like every chapter of my life has had a unique story that has brought me to where I am now as a fashion designer but to understand what drove me to become the woman I am now, it all starts back at the beginning; my childhood.
I never had a normal upbringing. In fact, it was filled with more hardships than most people should have in a lifetime. I was the forgotten child by those who should have never forgotten they had a child. Maybe being forgotten was better than being seen at times but forgotten felt a lot like worthlessness & turmoil. My birth mom didn’t want me after a while & she gave me away. To whom? Really anyone who would take me I think. So began my unwanted journey of living from home, to home, to home. I call it foster care when I do interviews, but that’s easier to say than me trying to explain how the government systems, schools, family, and my own friggin mother forgot about me. One can imagine the worst nightmares that come from that kind of life for a child who has no one to protect them. I swear there is a fashion related story in my childhood & not just sadness. The only clothes I had were hand-me-downs from, who knows where. People love to drop off bags of clothes to “kids in need” and think they are doing enough. Between my grandma pants, boy clothes, girl clothes, & ill-fitted clothes, I became a target for cruel hearted abuse. I wish I could say I only got made fun of, but I can’t. I was jumped twice by two different groups of kids that were either in a gang or wanting to be seen some type of way by others. I won’t go into further detail about the trauma from those two experiences, but after the second time, I was determined not to be seen as an easy target. So began my fashion journey. I started to explore art with my clothing from coloring them with markers, writing words on them, cutting them up & making myself appear older in my clothing choices. I also started to change my personality; I was determined to be seen by others as the interesting fearless girl with funny stories. I mean who beats up the funny kid who was a total babe? If someone made fun of me, ppsshhh keep it moving, I made fun of my own self and life, you’re too late. I had grown my public thick skin & the more interesting I looked; the less people messed with me. In fact, people wanted to hang out with me, hear my stories, & get a good laugh. It also began the change in me to want more, to be more and to live happy because I knew this could not be it for me!
Good news, I survived my childhood, and at the age of 21, I had my daughter. I knew the moment I felt her in my stomach; I would never let her live the same life I did. She was going to have a beautiful life & beautiful clothes. Money still hadn’t come my way, but I am a go-getter. I got a sewing machine and taught myself to sew for her. I still didn’t have the desire or even the idea to make this my career; after all, I was a novice who could barely make a pillowcase dress. I started to truly love everything about garment making and desired to keep learning more and seeing what I could come up with. After a few years of learning more about sewing, I started having friends ask me to make things for their children for weddings and such. Y’all people wanted to BUY my creations, talk about a mind changer! Then organically it became a Gatsby-inspired dress line for girls. I kept that going for five years & did pretty decent. I gained clients in Australia, France, Ireland, Canada, Germany, and the U.S. Some of my custom pieces were featured on the red carpet for the movie premiere of Annie & featured on several published teen models. I knew I had found my true passion in life but hadn’t quite figured out the content part of it. Out of my lack of contentment and spontaneous personality, I closed shop of my children’s line December 2015. By July of 2016, I launched my first all-women’s collection with a runway show.
To quickly sum up this next story of my life is quite impossible yet still important to mention the highlights. I have been burned at times by either collaborating with a “socialite” who took credit for my designs on a runway show, another who failed to mention, tag, or post the free dress I made for her gala in exchange for publicity or getting scammed out of money by a fake fashion week in Dallas. Yet, I’ve been through worse & it did not break me. (Others may think I am just a hardheaded woman, but I like to think I am an optimistic warrior with big dreams that no one can take away.) Instead, I searched for reputable organizations and runways so it wouldn’t happen again. Which then put me in contact with some incredible fashion organizations such as F.G.I., DIFFA, the PIN SHOW, THE SOCIETY, & FASHION X to name a few. I have even been so honored to have collections or pieces walk some of their runways. I did not know anyone in this business or society of fashion when I first started out, and I wasn’t about to wait for someone else to do the introductions for me. I stayed true to who I was, calmed my anxiety about talking to people I don’t know, and never sought alternative motives in others. Being the forgotten child created the woman in me now who will never pretend to be someone she is not. I am now invited to some of the most incredible events with some incredibly beautiful people I get to call my friends. I am not afraid to show my excitement and giddiness, like a child experiencing life for the first time, at all the new experiences I am manifesting into my life. I have had my clothing featured in magazines, podcast interviews, filmed for 2 tv shows and both of them wanted me to be a cast member (I turned 1 down b/c I refused to pretend I was a train wreck of a woman so they could have better ratings & the other, meh), & I have the most incredible private clients, who admire my fashion designs, and trust me to design for them with no boundaries.
My unique story isn’t one about being lucky in life. Life has still been incredibly hard, and it didn’t magically get easier when I became an adult or even up until now. I have been through the death of my daughters’ father alone, raising a daughter with no family, no partner, really just winging it and hoping for the best. I’ve searched for love in all the wrong places that ended up with a protective order, me with a strangled-cut throat, and falling in love with a man who failed to tell me he was married. Let’s not even begin to mention all the fake nosed women who treat me like trash because my teeth are crooked. My unique story is about a woman, a mother, an artist, a hopeless romantic, and a forgotten girl who said NO to what life tries to deal me and instead chased my own dreams and manifested my entire life the way I want it. (still working on manifesting my soul mate, hey can I use this article as an ad for one) I am a woman who was never shown love, yet I found it in myself, in my daughter and in this beautiful life, and I put it above all else. I am Parker Parker, the creative director/fashion designer of my career and my life.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am an exclusive custom-made Haute Couture/Avant-Garde designer. Each piece is designed to tell the story of my client, their style, and how they see themselves in this world. Every design is custom fitted, tailored, and one-of-a-kind statement pieces. My clients are courageous, authentic trendsetters that are not afraid to step into the room and have all eyes on them through their daring, bold fashion choices.
I do not consider myself as just a fashion designer/creative director but as an artist. Designing is more than just my career or a thing I can do. This is my art, and it has always been more than just about me and yet all of me at once. Innovative vulnerable men and women living authentic lives inspire me and touch a part of my soul from their experiences. Being in love with the life I am living and have lived alone inspires my creations. My why and my inspirations are quite simple; Love & Happiness. In all, I do I want to love with all I have and be happy in all I do.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I am not sure if the roles of artists have changed because I only know my perspective on my role as an artist. I think to each their own on how they live their life, so who am I to judge it or tell another how to be. Some events do not have any effect on me, while others have lit the fire in me! When the #metoo movement came to light, it not only triggered a various set of emotions from personal experience but it also re-lit the warrior and fighter in me. I needed to design stronger, bolder armor of clothing for women, to be in solidarity with them, and when she has to face this cruel world alone, she and I will have our battle gear ready. We will feel empowered with self-confidence even if it is only on the outside for now because soon it will take hold and it will empower the self-confidence inside of us too. Maybe to some fashion doesn’t have a deep meaning, but to me, the art of fashion can and has changed my whole life.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can see my work on IG at PARKERPARKE.R or through my website theparkercompany.org. I do various runway shows throughout the year, so to check out more of my designs or shows coming up they can subscribe to my email list and/or follow me on social media. People can support my work through engaging on my social media, building genuine connections through our content, becoming a client/having me design something custom for them for their next event, and/or sharing anything they might love of mine on social media is always a morale booster.
Contact Info:
- Website: theparkercompany.org
- Phone: 214-273-6676
- Email: parker@theparkercompany.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkerparke.r/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theparkerparkercompany/
Image Credit:
Runway Photo: Photographer Thomas Garza
White Futuristic Jacket with Neon Yellow Embellishments: Photographer Greg Daniels Model: Fallon Paige
Neon Yellow Transparent Jacket: Photographer Greg Daniels Model: Fallon Paige
Black Sheer Top with Choker & Chains: Photographer Greg Daniels Model: Fallon Paige
Denim Barbie Jacket: Photographer: Adrian Stecker Model: Roxanne Redfoot
Neon Yellow Skirt: Photographer: Samantha Balderas Model: Arnelle Ballard
White Ripped up Jacket with Feathers: Photographer: Adrian Stecker Model: Kimberly Acker
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