Today we’d like to introduce you to Ren Barker.
Hi Ren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I have either studied or worked in the fashion industry for almost 10 years, and throughout my journey, I have been consistently disappointed. Disappointed by fashion’s environmental impact, its lack of inclusivity, and mainstream fashion’s obsession with same-ness. Wanting everyone to look the same and be a part of the status quo. My own style had evolved during this time to reject so much of what was considered “in-fashion.” A part of that evolution was coming out as nonbinary and feeling the pressure to dress in a way completely void of gender to make myself palatable to the outside world. Eventually, I pushed away from that ideology and began fully embracing the idea that if clothing has no gender, that means genderless fashion is whatever I wanted to wear.
Thus, I started Ren B Designs. I founded the brand on the belief that all clothes have no gender in response to an overwhelming amount of unisex clothing lacking any excitement and anything with even the slightest personality having the gender binary thrust upon it. The brand utilizes preloved materials to produce one-of-a-kind, chaotically colorful pieces that prioritize the needs of nonbinary and trans shoppers through thoughtful design. It’s about providing the pieces for people to play with color and proportion, take up space, and express their identity.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The message of the brand, that clothes have no gender, uproots ideas deeply seeded in our society. We live in a world that upholds the gender binary, which means not everyone is as accepting when it comes to the idea that anyone can wear anything they want. The only way people will become more accepting is by continuing to challenge these ideals and existing in a way that is unapologetically ourselves.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Since all the pieces are made from preloved materials, I often approach design a bit backwards compared to traditional fashion design. Instead of conceptualizing an idea, then sourcing materials, etc. I allow what I find to drive the design. I work almost exclusively with natural fibers and woven materials, and I am often drawn to an item by its print and color. Color and print play the biggest role in my overall design aesthetic. Colors must be loud and unusually mixed together; prints are often juxtaposed in a way that they almost clash. I like to push things to a point where they are over-the-top, and design details take into consideration the full spectrum of body shapes by playing and plays with exaggerated proportions.
My favorite artistic challenge that I have been doing lately are ‘Mystery Thrift Customs’. People will mail me items they either love but don’t wear anymore or fun garments they found at the thrift shop. Then, with a little information from them on what they love and hate, I create a totally new item. It’s a complete surprise for the person because they don’t actually get to see the finished item until it’s mailed to them. So not only do they get the fun of receiving a package, but it’s like a surprise gift for themselves. I’ve really enjoyed playing with all the different types of things people have sent me and working into aesthetics I may not have otherwise.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been bit of a wacky walnut, even as a kid. I was creative and inventive, and no one could tell me something was a bad idea. I was always interested in design and started out young by drawing what inanimate objects would look like as garments (often a quite literal interpretation, my personal favorite being a water tower dress). I’d cut socks into clothes for stuffed animals and use candy wrappers to make unusual hats for my Barbies. The funniest thing is, I wanted to grow up to be a scientist or an engineer.
Contact Info:
- Website: renbdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renb.designs/
