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

Elizabeth, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I have been an artist my entire life and at the age of 15 I knew I wanted to be a Fashion Designer. It merged my love of sewing with my artistic abilities. So for 15+ years, I’ve been honing my talents and learning as much as possible because raw talent can only get you so far. I have two degrees in design and I can say with absolute certainty that I was meant to be a Fashion Designer and there is no Plan B. I am happiest when I am creating and designing clothing and nothing brings me more joy than people wearing and enjoying my designs. I always wanted to create something that was my own so that’s why I started my fashion brand, EAM 1992. EAM 1992 is still a work in progress because owning and starting a fashion brand definitely is not the easiest thing I’ve ever done. However, I know that it will be worth it! Sometimes, I do think life would be easier if I had a more traditional job (especially financial) but I know that I would not be happy.

Elizabeth, 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?

Hi there! My name is Elizabeth Anne McNamara. I am a Fashion Designer from Greenville, SC. I have two Pomeranians named Marian & Philip, who double as my design assistants. I received my first BA in Costume Design from Clemson Unversity and got my second BFA in Fashion Design: Sportswear from Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York. My first sewn project was a teddy bear made from an old pillowcase that I made with my Grandmother and from then on I was hooked on sewing and creating art through fabric. Honestly, sewing and art were always hobby of mine when I was young and my plan was to become a Veterinarian since I loved animals so much. But one day, I woke up and realized that my love of sewing and creating was too great to ignore so I decided to become a Fashion Design (very a la Elle Woods, I know). I was 15 years old when I made that decision and I haven’t looked back since. I didn’t really find my designer voice/style until I went to FIT and those years studying and honing my skills really solidified my choice for me. I describe my designs as “Northern Sass meets Southern Class”. Although my designs lean feminine, my brand is genderless. I think that individuals should wear whatever makes them happy and feel good inside and out! In addition to my garments (which are still in the development phase), I also have a collection of fun, graphic sweatshirts that display some of my painting work form over the years. My top seller is my “Frog with a Pearl Earring” sweatshirt which is a rendition of Vermeer’s “Girl with a Peal Earring”. I think that my humor and light heartiness is one of the things that sets me apart from other designers. I try very hard to not take myself to seriously and remember to have fun. The other thing that sets me apart is that all of my designs, every single one of them, I designed for myself and I think that is super important to design clothing that I would shop for and wear. Because I know that there are plenty of other people who will like my designs too.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I’m still making my way through my long list of books that have recommended to me. And I’m ADHD and Dyslexic so reading isn’t my favorite activity…except when it come to fantasy books. However, here are some of the books that I have found the most helpful in my creative/brand building journey.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (Whenever I’m feeling lost mentally and creatively, I reread her book. It is one of the best books I have ever read and I think EVERYONE, in the creative or not, should give this book a read.)

Girl on Fire: How to Choose Yourself, Burn the Rule Book, and Blaze Your Own Trail in Life and Business by Cara Alwill (I found this book inspiring with a just the right amount of the tough love I needed.)

Anxiety Rx: A New Prescription for Anxiety Relief from the Doctor Who Created It by Russell Kennedy, MD (This is a wonderful book that looks at anxiety in a whole new way and I highly suggest reading or listening to. Parts of it blow my mind and I can actually say that this is the first self-help book that actually worked.)

My final suggestion is to read something that has nothing to do with your creativity or what you are pursuing. I am currently neck deep into Sarah J. Mass three series and I read many web comics on the apps WebToon and Manta (my favorite being Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe). The reason I say this is because reading something you enjoy allows your creative brain to relax and breath without the pressure of forcing it to create (because we all know how well that turns out) Who knows, maybe you will get inspired by someone else work as well!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I love being able to share my art and design with people. I believe that my work has a light heartiness and humor about that isn’t about poking fun at anything, it’s just about not taking oneself too seriously and to bring a smile to someone’s face. So when I see people enjoying my art/designs, but as the wearer and the observer, it makes me incredibly happy.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @eam1992_studio
• Other: Etsy Shop – EAMFashion