We were lucky to catch up with Gail Friend recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Gail thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I have always been creative, even as a child. I loved to draw and write stories. When I became a young mother of two I started sewing home decor and toys for the kids. Then as it often does, life got complicated. I became a single mom and was my mothers care giver and life was busy taking care of everyone and my creative side became non existent. For many years I didn’t do anything creative. About five years ago I met someone who is now one of my best friends. She was a competitor in women’s physical fitness competitions. They have very specific types of blingy bikinis they have to wear on stage. I had an overwhelming desire to try and make these suits. I realized how much I missed being creative and wanted to learn as much as I could. I had never sewn garments before and fell in love with the process and the textiles. I began sewing one of kind special occasion dresses. I feel like I really missed out of so many years of creating and doing something I loved. But also, I do believe things happen when they are supposed to. I do wish I had started out a lot earlier, but I am very happy I am doing what I love now. Its never to late and I am living proof of that.

Gail, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My brand is Gail Friend Designs. I create special occasion dresses and I like to say I create for the other world where magic lives. I’m inspired by nature, flowers, gardens and color. I am also and illustrator and I love creating wearable art. Instead of a paintbrush I use textiles to create my gowns. I love the hand details and creating flowers or trims to make them unique and one of kind. I spend weeks creating one dress, its all about the details for me. I like creating a story. Once a dress is done I get with my creative team and collaborate on magical photo shoots. I am so lucky to have the most amazing creative team. I love every bit of the whole process.

After my start with creating bikinis for physical fitness competitions, I came across a fashion show that was having an emerging designer competition and I really wanted to challenge myself and create a gown. I was immediately hooked! Next I was able to participate in the emerging designer event at Phoenix Fashion Week. I worked on developing my skills and learning as much as I could. Quality is extremely important to me. I want to put out the best I can. I believe that paid off when I was invited to show in Milan at Milan City Fashion Week in September 2021. It was the most amazing experience and loved all of the photo shoots we were able to shoot in Italy.

While my gowns have really been more of a creative way to create art, I am looking forward to what is next. I will always create these dresses and hope to travel to more places around the world for more photo shoots that create special stories. At this time I am studying and learning the process for creating a ready to wear line that I will be launching online. It will be uniquely my style. I am using my illustration background to create my own prints and textiles. I look forward to being able to launch and share this dream with everyone soon!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

This was an interesting question to me. I do not come from a family of creatives. Many of my friends are not creatives. So I have had to build a network and be part of a creative team. My family and friends do not understand any of what I do. Everyone is uniquely different, but when you are creative it is something you HAVE to do. Its literally part of your DNA. To be transparent, I am 63 years old. I have had to do “the right thing” for decades. What is expected of you, not wasting your time painting or sewing, let alone thinking you could earn a living from it. I bought into it all. I have now gone so far to the other side that I just recently left my good paying corporate job that I actually liked. But I was working 60+ hours per week. I started my own business to be a part time virtual assistant freeing up my time to create as much as possible. I have way more days behind me than in front of me and this is something I want to do for me. And for the record, they all think I have lost my mind. lol But that is ok. If you are creative, be brave enough to be you! Not everyone will understand, and that is ok.

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

I love reading and especially about other creatives and their journeys. My favorite book is “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert. her book “Eat, Pray, Love” is also a favorite. Another favorite is “the Artist Way” by Julia Cameron.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gail.friend.designs/ and https://www.instagram.com/gailfriendstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gailfrienddesigns/

Image Credits
Emanuel Smith, Cielo Aubee, Jaclyn Mona, Vanessa Mapes, Portia, Amanda Moore, Ana caraveo, Amber May