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Rosette Ale, Fashion, Revival

“I literally had to speak to my GP”, Rosette is an encouraging and supportive woman with an incredible initiative ‘SLOW FASHION IS SEXY’, she’s the founder of the sustainable fashion brand Revival

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Have a look at her behind the brand interview at Frontrowzine.

  • Revival
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Creative Core

What does your creative discipline mean to you?

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I believe creativity and self expression are very important aspects of life. We all have a desire to communicate and we use different mediums to do so i.e. words, images, drawing, service to others, etc which can be freeing and exciting. I guess I’d say fashion is my creative discipline as it’s the main area I’ve harnessed skills in over the years and sector I’ve mostly worked in. I’m particularly interested in circular fashion, textile redesign and styling (as a blogger and occasional stylist) and I use these as a form of expression of my values, beliefs and personality. 

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I learned some cross stitching and knitting in Primary school and that’s when I realised I really enjoyed working with fabric and sewing. Throughout education, I then chose subjects like Textiles in Secondary school and Art & Design in college to develop my skills. I decided to take a gap year between college and university as I was unsure whether to study a fashion-related degree or stick to Mathematics which I was also really good at. I completed a Fashion Foundation Diploma in this gap year to help me make my decision and I learned so much as it allowed me to experiment with different areas of fashion from styling to knitting. That’s when I discovered my love for 

deconstructing garments and accessories and redesigning them into bold and eccentric pieces. Although I didn’t end up studying fashion (I did Mathematics & Management Studies!) I carried on reading around fashion, sewing, blogging and getting my brand, Revival, set up so I still had creative outlets.

Where do you draw most of your inspiration from?

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I draw most of my inspiration from art I see on my trips to museums as well as from past trends mainly from the 1990’s and 2000’s RnB music scene. I’m drawn especially to girl groups as they are a symbol of friendship and community which in turn is empowering and inspirational. I want the garments I create make the wearer feel bold and confident so it’s important that the vibe is right and nostalgia always brings a sense of joy. Other than that, I get revelations throughout the day like on my daily commute or in the shower!

Is your creative work Full-Time or Part-Time? 

Part-Time

Who inspires you creatively?

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I don’t think I have a specific person that I’m inspired by creatively but there are a few women I look up to who are killing it in their fields. For example, Serena Williams is someone I really admire as she’s so good at what she does and she’s committed, hardworking and resilient. I hope to be THAT good at what I do in the same way she is on the tennis court. Rihanna is also an inspiration to me as she has managed to enter several different sectors and is clearly planning domination in every industry which I’m so here for! In the creative sense, I’m inspired by designers such as Christopher Raeburn; I love how innovation and the reuse of materials is so embedded in his collections. I want innovation to be core to Revival as we grow and experiment with different materials to the point where we can patent our own innovative textiles.

How do you cope mentally? How do you make time for self care, a social life/family life too. Do you ever get frustrated and want to quit building something you’re passionate about? How do you overcome these negative/dark emotions.

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I work full time and my creative work is part time but I’m hoping to transition into it full time at some point. I usually work on my brand, Revival, on weekday evenings and weekends as well as on my commute to and from work and on lunch breaks (every minute helps!). I admit it can be very draining at times and sometimes I come home feeling very tired but I have to get on with whatever work I’ve planned for Revival that evening. Sometimes I have to sacrifice sleep in order to finish sewing an outfit. Recently I’ve been feeling very overworked at my 9-5 which meant I struggled even more to get things done for Revival so I literally had to speak to my GP and managed to get some time off work which really helped me to deal with stress, take some time out for myself and also work on my brand.

 

Working full time is already tiring so self care is sometimes at the bottom of my list but it’s so important to take time out for yourself. I usually try and do nothing on Fridays evenings, literally just good food, a glass of wine and Netflix so that’s one way I relax as well as the occasional bubble bath which really helps me to destress. I’ve also had to say no to certain plans or rearrange outings because I honestly just don’t have the energy and that’s tough especially as I love going out and socialising!

 

There are also times when I think is this even worth it but when the negative thoughts creep in, I take time out to pray or try and think of the “why” (the reason why I create and why I started Revival) and this motivates me again. The 7 levels deep exercise is crucial for all entrepreneurs and creators.

Race

How has race had an impact on your creativity?

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Personally I don’t think my race has had an impact on my creativity but I think my financial situation hindered me slightly. I was constantly told that studying creative subjects was expensive but I wasn’t prepared to give up just because of that. Throughout college, whilst studying Art & Design, I struggled to buy some materials for my own use outside of college hours so I did feel this had an impact on my creativity as I didn’t have the flexibility that others had of creating as much in my own time. I’d say I’m very resourceful so I make use of whatever I have or can afford to still reach my intended final outcome.

What sort of obstacles have you faced whilst being a black creative?

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I felt a bit of pressure from my mum when choosing my degree as I knew she didn’t really want me to go down the fashion route but rather to choose the more academic subject which would “take me further”. I don’t blame her at all but I knew there’d be a tiny bit of disappointment if I hadn’t chosen Maths which I probably wouldn’t be able to live with. I don’t recall any specific stories of any obstacles I’ve faced but being black and being a woman as well (double whammy) doesn’t really put me in the best position in terms of access to resources and opportunities or privileges relating to finances and family connections in the industry. I know a few people who have secured internships and opportunities through their parents’ friends in the industry.

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Advice 

What institutions would you suggest for someone starting out to join, one that can help jumpstart their career or give them guidance?

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If you’re interested in fashion and serious about progressing in your career then I’d recommend The Junior Network which is run Dior Bediako (Pepper Your Talk). I met loads of like-minded fashion enthusiasts, was able to achieve goals with the help of some of the girls and also just made fashion friends who were cool and down to earth. It’s a small fee a month but so worth it and you get complimentary tickets to their events for a year if you’re a member. I’d also recommend Future Girl Corp which is for female founders in all fields from fashion to videography to subscription boxes for hair products. They put on some cool events and workshops throughout the year so keep an eye out. There are loads of other platforms and institutions that offer fashion courses and events so just have to do a bit of googling as well.

What advice would you give to someone doing something similar to you?

What advice would you give them if they were struggling mentally?

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I’d say keep learning everyday, motivate yourself, and read around your subject area. You can listen to inspiring and educational podcasts, watch YouTube tutorials if you don’t know how to do something, and don’t let your health and fitness routines or self care slip. Seek help if you’re struggling with your mental health, I did and the resources I’ve been given by my local GP/council have been really helpful. If you can’t function mentally then trust me you won’t be able to create amazing work and progress in your field.

Where can we find you?

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revivalldn.com

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hello@revivalldn.com

 

 @revivalldn

 

For thrifty style inspo and a teeny bit of travel blogging!

@thriftqueenlola on IG 

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Revival is launching a new collection later this month and organising a revamp workshop in the next few months, keep an eye out on @revivalldn - go support this inventive creator.

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Young.Black.Creative

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