We were lucky to catch up with Alyssa Chavez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Alyssa, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The biggest risk I took with my brand was my first fashion show. A handful of fashion show directors were contacting me asking if I wanted to be a designer for their events. Thinking these were scams, I turned down a handful of opportunities. When I finally trusted an opportunity for a runway project, it opened up so many doors to new projects and possibilities! This led me to having the confidence to design for large events like NYFW, hosting my own showcases, and professionally modeling!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Alyssa, a 23 year old mother, sustainable designer, and professional model. I began my designing journey when I became a stay-at-home-mother over three years ago. Originally I was crafting just to pass the time, however a customer base quickly found me. Sustainable fashion means I use all natural materials (wool, cotton, hemp, bamboo) in my fashion as much as possible and practice zero waste. All of my “scraps” end up in a design, I use eco-friendly shipping methods and I often even dye my fabrics with my personal plants!
I am very proud of my loyal customer and fan base. Many return clients have been following my journey since I began or first went viral, and that makes me feel so wonderful about my work!

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

All of my wares are handmade by me in my home! My fashion designs consist of crochet, and sewn garments. I am completely self taught in every area, and I often am “making things up” as I go in order to keep each item unique. My partner makes natural beaded accessories to pair with my sustainable clothing line.
Along this journey, I learned many people have different definitions of handmade. I pride my work on the amount of love and energy that went into every step of manufacturing before and during my creation process.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Having a wonderful social presence has definitely helped my reputation within my market. Integrity is incredibly important for my brand, and I make sure all of my collaborators hold the same values. Having a good reputation is easy when you are sincerely a good person.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thejadealchemist.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jade.alchemy/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jadealchemy?_t=8ZNTeeOcMne&_r=1

Image Credits

Boogie On Down Productions LLC
ShadyBear Photography
Elli Kos Photography