Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Love.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been creative. I created my first fashion illustration at the age of 6, and always sketched, not realizing I was actually creating fashion sketches. While in college, I majored in fine arts, but always had an emphasis in fashion design because I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in Fashion. I started freelancing in college, but graduate school is where I became serious about my craft and gaining clientele. Because I wasn’t able to gain employment upon graduating from grad school, I really started focusing on working for myself.
I moved to Dallas-Fort Worth in 2014 to teach fashion courses at the Art Institute of Dallas. The great thing about working at the Art Institute is that we were all freelancers and instructors, so our students were able to hear real life industry experiences from us. I’m currently teaching at Texas Woman’s University and continuing my freelance fashion business.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been some struggles along the way. For one, I haven’t been able to keep stable income with freelancing, so I’ve been having to take on other jobs to keep myself afloat. Another thing I struggle with is posting consistently on social media. I don’t post every day as I should, which may affect gaining more clientele. I’ve started sending pitches to different fashion companies to design for them. That is a challenge as well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a fashion designer/fashion illustrator, specializing in activewear, swimwear, and sleepwear. I’m known for creating original fashion illustrations. I’m most proud of being in business for over 16 years, as well as creating a clothing line for Shein (it is completely sold out now). What sets me apart from others with fashion design is that I add a lot of colorblocking with bright colors with activewear and swimwear, and what sets me apart from other with fashion illustrations is that my figures always have a curvy figure, and I use black women/women of color in all of my sketches. Another thing I’ve started doing with my fashion illustrations is creating an AI image of them. It is amazing to see my sketches in AI.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was traveling to a larger city outside of my small college town. I’m from Starkville, MS (home of Mississippi State University), so the nearest city was Jackson, MS. I remember the first time I traveled to Atlanta, GA, which was a huge city for me. I was not used to seeing skyscrapers and buildings with revolving doors. It was like a new world to me. Another favorite childhood memory was seeing Washington DC. I must say that outside of Capitol Hill, Washington DC is quite unique.
Pricing:
- All pricing is available upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ashleydlove.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashley.d.love/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshleyLoveIllustrations/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleydlove/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNTvPzLFbRYXalN8uIQE4Kw
Image Credits
Headshot- photographed by Alex Harris
