We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alice Young a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Alice, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I absolutely love being a maker/designer. I’ve only been doing this for about four years now, and it has looked a variety of ways. Prior to starting my business, I was a middle school math teacher and high school art/art history teacher. I loved working with my students, especially in my visual art courses, but it was an incredibly demanding job that didn’t leave me with much time to create for myself. I’ve spent so many years helping students hone their artistic abilities, get accepted to art schools, and uncover their passion for art and design, so it’s so nice to be taking my own advice now and reconnect with my own passion for art and fashion. Students would often ask to see my work in class, but I truly hadn’t created anything while I was a teacher because I didn’t have the time or energy, and it made me feel guilty and sad, and like I was letting them down. I’ve reconnected with a lot of students who continued to pursue their art after college, and they’ve also been following my journey of starting my business and creating again. It makes me so happy to know that I made a difference in their lives, but also that I’m continuing to be a role model for them by pursuing something that I’m so passionate about, especially in a field that isn’t always as financially stable or easy to jump into without a safety net after college.

Alice, 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?

I am a leather handbag designer and maker. I am a one-woman show with a storefront and open studio on Exchange St. in Portland, ME! I began making handbags for myself as a hobby about 4-5 years ago, and started doing some pop-ups and markets. In 2020, I applied with a complete collection to New York Fashion Week, and was accepted to show my work on the runway. A year later, I got the opportunity to have a studio/storefront in an incubator retail space in Portland called The Black Boxes, which are a series of shipping containers that help small businesses trial the retail experience. This past year, I was accepted to the SoWa Winter Markets in Boston as well. All of these things jumpstarted my business, and it all led me to opening my first brick-and-mortar store in the heart of the Old Port.

I love working with leather and am known for working with bright colors that aren’t as commonly seen in leatherwork and handbags. I continue to get a large portion of my work from upholstery shops as remnants, and the pieces I get really inspire what I’m able to create. I am incredibly passionate about contributing to the zero-waste and sustainable movements in the fashion industry.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I actually think Portland does a great job with this. I know I wouldn’t have been able to have a storefront currently if it weren’t for the incubator retail spaces. I was able to be in a small space with affordable rent and a monthly lease, so that was such a critical part of growing my business. The more cities have programs and support systems like this to cultivate small businesses without high risk, the more unique small businesses are going to succeed around the country. I also find it inspiring when larger companies collaborate with smaller local businesses to help jumpstart their careers. I know that places like L.L. Bean and West Elm are doing this currently. Collaboration is really the key to a lot of businesses success.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to constantly adapt and improve and learn new skills to apply. I am completely self-taught, so it’s so fun to look back and see what I used to make and how much my products have evolved and gotten better. It’s the most satisfying thing to be able to say that everything from start to finish has been from my own mind and hands.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.aliceyardleymaine.com
• Instagram: @aliceyardley.maine
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aliceyardleymaine/
• Other: Address: 99 Exchange St. Portland, Maine 04101

Image Credits
Portrait Photo: Elle Darcy Product Photos: Melissa Gabriel