Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Altman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lauren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Creativity, to me, is a space to explore, learn about who you are and what you stand for, even during the most uncertain of times. I started my clothing brand during the early onslaught of the pandemic, a time when we were all confined to our homes. Therefore, I didn’t have access to my Brooklyn art studio. In an effort to keep creating, I resorted to looking in my closet for inspiration, pulling out clothing that I hadn’t worn in a while to use as a canvas to paint on and express myself during that time of isolation.

As a forever lover of timeless utilitarian design, I had some old jumpsuits, cargo pants, and denim jackets and began to embroider them. I found inspiration in words and drawings that I had scribbled in my sketchbook, and, from there, I hand-stitched elaborate head-to-toe works of art. I created probably 10-15 pieces during this period, which became my first upcycled collection and the beginning of my clothing brand.

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.

Absolutely. I’m Lauren, a multimedia artist and upcycled fashion designer based in New York.

My fashion collection, Lauren Altman Studio, specializes in crafting unique pieces that blend a playful, fashion-forward style with traditional utilitarian worker designs to design collections that intersect modern day workwear and wearable art.

Each collection shares the philosophy that fashion is a means for nurturing self-expression and confidence, while also contributing to a sustainable environment.

My collection is a full-circle operation, fusing upcycled, artisanal, vintage, and deadstock fabrics, and even compost, to transform the old into new works of art.

As I mentioned earlier, I started my journey first as an artist, then fashion designer. Pre-loved clothing is a medium that has always been at the center of my practice, which has evolved from being the subject of my early experimental film work to becoming textile paintings to my upcycled fashion collection.

After completing my MFA in Interdisciplinary Studio Art at Penn, I returned to Brooklyn to continue my studio

practice. I got my start by working for other artists in my field, collecting information about how they ran their studio practices. Having also worked for cultural institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum and the ICA Philadelphia, I was aware of the many paths an artist can take to find the right setting for their work. These experiences helped me develop a system for creating work, thinking like a business owner, and pursuing shows and other opportunities for creative growth. Then, when the pandemic hit, I took notice of the upcycling movement at the intersection of art and fashion that was gaining momentum in New York and beyond, and I wanted to be a part of it.

After the lockdown lifted, I collaborated with upcycled fashion designers and artists on pop-up events, as well as immersive art activations and parties. This led me to partner with New York-based sustainable art and fashion retailers such as The Canvas, Art to Ware, and Fireplace Concepts, among others. From there, I began to collect valuable insight about who my customer is, what they like to wear and collect. This helped me evolve my collection to what it is today.

Now, with three collections under my belt, I’m focused on building my e-commerce business, along with custom art and clothing orders from my clients, which is a lot of fun.

My studio is based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and you are welcome to send me a DM via Instagram @laurenaltmanstudio or send an email to hello@laurenaltmanstudio.com to place an order, or collaborate on a custom, one-of-a-kind design for your own wardrobe!

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

Something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about my journey is that it takes time to find the right opportunities for my work as an artist, so in the meantime we need the support of those around us!

A key part of this journey for me has been to package my creativity in a way that it becomes accessible to more people who want to step into my world, while also staying true to my unique artistic voice.

I think my challenge resides in understanding how to design a unique, cohesive collection while also making my work available to a diverse clientele. It’s a challenge I’m still working through, because it takes time to transition from one-off, one-of-a-kind pieces to creating sustainable collections that are also available in multiple sizes for a broader audience.

Partnerships and collaborations help carry my work beyond the studio—reaching new places and people who wouldn’t otherwise know about my art and fashion collections, while also helping to validate my work in the market.

For example, I’m on my way to California right now to produce an upcycled art installation with Coca-Cola for Coachella! Projects like this one help to generate awareness about my brand and my mission as a sustainable fashion designer and artist.

As I continue to put name out there, receiving support from my art collectors play a big role in pushing my practice forward.

Every bit of encouragement helps—if there are creative people close to you and you’re curious to know how to support them, buy their art!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Similarly to the experiences

of many artists, there have been times where I’ve created a new body of work and applied to the shows and only received rejection letters, or launched a new collection and received little to no sales.

In these periods, I learned how to use leftover inventory as seeds for new works.

For example, a dress from a collection that didn’t sell can be cut into a top – and the leftover fabric scraps can be woven into a new textile painting. Sometimes, resilience means, how can I use what I have to innovate and evolve?

Even though there have been times that things have not worked out the way I hoped, there’s always a way to repurpose the good part of an idea for a future project.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laurenaltmanstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenaltmanstudio/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@laurenaltmanstudio

Image Credits
Jayme Thornton and Alex Korolkovas