We recently connected with Grisel Ortiz and have shared our conversation below.

Grisel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” by Lao Tzu is what inspires me in my life. Manifesting our dreams takes stepping into the unknown and taking risks. When I became a mom I decided to take the risk of starting my own line of clothing made from deadstock materials. Was I scared of what the outcome would be? Yes. Was I afraid that nobody would like my designs? Yes. Thankfully I did not listen to my fears and kept going, trusting I would attract the right customers for me. In 2020 I took another risk of changing the name of my line to FAUNA and bringing in new sustainable fabrics like hemp, organic cotton, and eucalyptus. Every vision I have ever had began with a risk. Staying in our comfort zone does not bring about change and it doesn’t bring us any closer to our goals.

Grisel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a young child I began designing clothing for my dolls and hand sewing their outfits. In elementary school I began designing my own outfits inspired by the psychedelic prints of the 60s and 70s. It wasn’t until I became a mom that I decided to open my own line of clothing, FLOR y FAUNA, made using deadstock material.

In 2020 I decided to shorten the name to FAUNA and incorporate sustainable fabrics such as hemp, organic cotton, and eucalyptus. FAUNA has now become a place where I am free to create anything I want. Focusing on flowing with what I want to create in that moment, from children’s pieces to jewelry made with feathers, crystals, and hardware.

What sets me apart is the fact that I allow the materials to speak to me and tell me what they want to become. My design process does not begin from a sketch. I sit with the materials first, in an intuitive and spiritual process, and wait until I am told what they want to mold into.

I am most proud of the fact that I listened to my creativity and stepped into the unknown starting my own line. Sometimes being in our comfort zones seems safer, but it keeps us stuck.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal of FAUNA and my creative journey is to create items that are truly lived in. Items that the wearer can feel deep joy in, create memories in, and give LIFE to. By creating pieces using sustainable and deadstock materials I believe I am sending more love to Mother Earth and less waste.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the lessons I had to unlearn was the lie that only rich people can open a business. I am here to tell you ANYONE can open a business. All you need is funds to start the process and the tenacity to go after your vision. You do not need to be a major label to get clients. You need to believe in your craft, be genuine, and that authenticity will attract the right clients to you.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.faunabrand.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fauna_brand
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopfauna/

Image Credits

Andrés Moncada Frómeta (Instagram @iamandymonk)