We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Linney Warren. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Linney below.

Linney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

A few months ago, I was contacted by Croft House, a furniture brand that I have admired for many years, about creating custom pieces to hang in their showroom. The use of materials in subtle unexpected ways, especially wood, is a signature part of the Croft House aesthetic, so I immediately knew that I wanted to work with wood. It was a new medium for me, so I went to my Dad who is a really talented woodworker. He helped me carve a series of intricate shapes out of maple and then I covered them in layers of plaster for a ceramic look and feel. Discovering this new technique meant that there were so many failures along the way. Ultimately, those challenges made the final result that much more meaningful! Getting the chance to work with my Dad on an art piece for one of my favorite brands was a literal dream come true.

Linney, 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?

I am the Head of Design for LA-based apparel brand Rails, and a painter. Becoming a fashion designer was my childhood dream and painting was my childhood hobby so to find myself still so intricately involved in the two crafts all these years later is so fulfilling. Fashion Design and Art are quite intertwined for me and often inspire one another. Women are my forever muses. When I’m designing, I’m thinking of the woman who might wear the clothes, how she feels, and where she’s going. When I’m painting, I often explore the female form through that same gentle, empathetic, feminine lens.

I believe that clothing is closely associated with our memories. We carry with us mental snapshots of moments and places; who we saw and what we wore. My painting style is very similar. I’m often inspired by my own nostalgic memories and the paintings are a kind of souvenir. I want my paintings to project a playful familiarity; a happy memory of a time and place.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I had known earlier in my career that it’s okay to talk about money. Many of us were taught that the subject is off-limits and inappropriate. In reality, by not talking and educating ourselves, we become isolated and put ourselves in a place where we could be taken advantage of. I’m a huge proponent of talking transparently amongst our peers and community as a means of supporting and boosting each other up. There is so much information and mentorship available if we have the courage to engage in conversation.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think it can be easy to look at a successful person and only see them as who they are in this present moment. But the important reality is that most successful people had to really grind to get to where they are. As an aspiring Fashion Designer straight out of college, I moved to NYC and interned full-time, 70 hour weeks for 9 months for free. I lived in a hostel. When my internships were over I was certain I would have a job offer but that wasn’t the reality for any of the interns. I got a job as a cocktail server and worked night shifts until 5am so that I could be available during the day for interviews. Each interview I went on required me to do an extensive design project, and would end in bad news. This went on for 18 months and I was physically and emotionally exhausted. Just as I felt myself loosing grip on this lifelong dream of mine, I finally landed my first job as an Assistant Designer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.linneywarren.com
• Instagram: @linney.warren
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linney-warren/

Image Credits

Croft House