We were lucky to catch up with Chelsea Rousso recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Chelsea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?

I transitioned from a fashion designer in New York to a glass artist in South Florida. While developing my artistic style in glass, I was brought back to my fashion career roots and developed a unique art practice making wearable glass. With a mannequin as my muse, I developed a method to drape glass over molds to create well fitting corsets and bikinis “glasskinis”. Worn at pool parties and on the runway, the glasskinis have become my signature. Glass bowties, masks and jewelry made of glass have expanded my collection.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Chelsea Rousso is a glass artist, fashion designer and writer, as well as a professor of fashion design and merchandising. She specializes in kiln-formed glass and holds regular classes and workshops for aspiring glass artists. Chelsea combines her love of fashion and glass into a unique form of wearable glass including corsets, bandeaus, and swimwear called “glasskinis” which have appeared on catwalks and in museums. She explores theories of fashion and glass in relation to the consumer culture by focusing on women, gender, image and memory. One of the challenges she faced with creating wearable glass was developing a technique that followed the form of the female body. Chelsea also created unique sculptures with ribbons of glass woven and fused into beautiful silhouettes.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In my journey, I have had many opportunities to reinvent myself. As a young girl who loved to sew and create unique clothes, I dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. After attend Pratt Institute in New York, I entered the fashion industry aiming to have my name on a label. With over 20 years as a dress designer, I accomplished my goal and appeared on several fashion house’s labels. Once that goal was achieved and a fantastic career realized, I moved with my young children to South Florida and embarked on the next phase of my creative path. I became a professor of fashion for several colleges and rekindled a passion for glass that I had ignited during the early studio art glass movement in NY. This time, I sought out masters in glass which lead me to learning fused glass in Corning, NY. There I met a young woman who gave me a 5 minute tutorial on mold making for glass fusing that began my journey into wearable glass. Years of experimentation, successes and failures have lead me to develop a solid technique where I can make well designed, well fitted and well executed designer glass pieces.
Now, I am giving back by sharing my glass making practice with artists and beginners. My goal is to bring out the creative spirit in others by nurturing the gift that artistic expression holds. I believe that just as we have been taught to value other types of tradition learning paths, unleashing ones artistic voice is a healthy, holistic responsibility we all share.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

My business as a glass artist and studio owner began organically after a program at a museum academy which I developed abruptly closed due to new ownership of the museum. Many of my students were eager to continue learning and I invited them to come to my studio to continue making glass. Over time, I expanded my studio, had more opportunities to show the artwork, became an artist in residence at Wiener Museum of Decorative arts, and applied and received county grants to work on larger, community driven projects. In time, I generated enough income to build my business in a slow and steady fashion. While I am always encouraged my others to go bigger, do this or do that, I keep my own guard rails in sight as I access my needs and insure that I am happy and fulfilled doing what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: chelsearousso@gmail.com
• Instagram: glasskinis
• Facebook: glasskinis
• Linkedin: chelsearousso
• Youtube: chelsearousso

Image Credits
Humberto Vidal