We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Avery Simone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Avery, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
Little did I know that growing up in the ’90s and 2000s would form the foundation of my personal style for the rest of my life.
As a young girl, I adored playing in my grandmother’s closet. The variety of textiles, colors, and silhouettes fascinated me, transforming the experience into a bonding opportunity with my grandmother. Recognizing my passion for fashion, my mother granted me the freedom to choose my clothes. My mom introduced me to thrift stores, do-it-yourself projects, shopping catalogs, and department stores (yes I grew up before online shopping).
After high school, I attended City College of San Francisco where I took my first fashion course, visual merchandising, and thus the start of my creative and corporate careers.
Avery, 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?
In my early 20s, I had no money to buy the clothing I wanted to wear so thrifting and 2nd hand-shopping became my go-to and helped me build my current wardrobe and advanced level of styling for any occasion or aesthetic.
Fast forward, I have embraced the art of thrifting for 15 years, and within the past year, I conquered my fears of posting online and started to build an online fashion community aimed at guiding and inspiring others to embrace the thrifting lifestyle, give styling tips and guidance on how to express their unique aura through fashion. I believe my personality and unique approach to fashion is what sets me apart from others in the fashion space. With 90% of my wardrobe coming from thrift stores, I aim to inspire my community to be mindful of their spending, as true style cannot be purchased.
What brings me the greatest sense of pride is not just the personal confidence I’ve developed, but also the empowerment experienced by fellow Aura gang members who have been inspired and connected through my videos. Engaging with everyone, sharing fashion ideas, and hearing their stories fills me with joy. My community will forever remain my top priority, regardless of my level of success.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
After graduating from college with a fashion marketing degree, I envisioned a corporate career in the fashion industry. However, six years later, I found myself working in various industries outside of fashion. I’ve achieved success in my corporate marketing career, starting as a social media assistant for a local Las Vegas magazine and eventually becoming the director of social media marketing for a multi-billion dollar Colorado automotive company. Despite the financial challenges I faced after college, I took the best job available to me. As I continued to climb the corporate ladder, I realized that I had lost touch with my original goals and passions. In 2024, I decided to dedicate my free time to building an online fashion community and expressing myself creatively, I’m returning to my purpose, a reverse pivot of sorts.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The primary driving force behind my creative journey is the pursuit of freedom. My ultimate aim is to expand my community to a level where it liberates me from my corporate job, enabling me to pursue my life’s purpose daily for the long term. Working with the brands I love, sharing my fashion all around the world, representing the thrifting community on the biggest stages, and styling creative editorials would truly bring peace to my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.averysaura.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averys.aura/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@averys_aura
Image Credits
Photographers
Mochi Da Brat (Denver)
Alexej Photo (Houston)
Theo (Paris)
Rowan (Amsterdam)