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

Alright, Sarah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful parts of my work is working with clients to design and create custom clothing. It’s an intimate experience, to talk with someone about the things that matter to them and figure out how to incorporate and address those things. Body image, old inherited stories around appearance and clothing, and more can come up. It means the world to me that my clients can trust me with their vulnerabilities, and that through the process of working together we can create a garment that celebrates their passions, personalities, and whole selves. It’s an honor to bring those special pieces to life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a fashion designer, artist, and graphic designer based in Maine. I specialize in creating one-of-a-kind garments, bringing new life to upcycled pieces with elaborate hand embroidery, beading, the addition of lace or fabric flowers, and other embellishments. I love to work with clients directly on custom pieces that celebrate their passions and personalities.

In addition to custom work, I regularly update my online shop with my upcycled creations. I source pre-loved clothing in classic shapes and quality materials, because I want my pieces to have a long lifetime and be worn and loved for years to come. The fashion industry is wildly wasteful, so I do everything in my power to keep quality pieces in circulation and out of the landfill.

My main sources of inspiration are from nature. Flowers, especially roses, patterns of lichen growing on trees, rocks and shells tumbling over one another in the waves, and all the machinations of the celestial bodies, it’s all this natural magic that turns me on and frequently turn up in my designs.

I also do freelance graphic design work for other small business owners, mainly branding and logo design. I find the similarities between creating a custom garment and designing a brand identity so fascinating – both are all about digging in to the personality of the client, discovering what is important to them and what makes them tick, and then using my understanding and artistic skills to bring their design to life.

I’m most proud of my ability to listen and connect with my clients, and to figure out what the real heart of what they’re looking for is. It’s hard to explain, so I often joke I’m just really good at vibes! Talking with people, seeing what they’re inspired by, and learning about what they want to accomplish either with a garment or a new brand identity, it all just comes together so naturally in my mind and gets me on the path to making something that really excites them and achieves their dreams and beyond. That really makes me proud, and makes me feel so lucky to be have the strengths I do and get to do the work that I do.

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

I feel like non-creatives think that creatives are always in flow. And by that I mean, I think they think this is easy for us! Yes, we have our particular creative skills and talents, but just because we have them doesn’t mean we’re always “on” and just knocking out project after project, high-fiving and having fun.

Obviously, when the creative flow is really happening, it can feel effortless or easy, but to get to that state isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Also, having all these skills isn’t just something we’re born with! Sure, some people may have more of a creative inclination or desire, but to develop and hone those skills is a lifelong process. I don’t know a single artist who is happy with their work, who doesn’t look at it and see all the things they’d like to do better. That’s not to be depressing, just to say that we are WORKING on this stuff! It’s real work!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

This may be broad, but I wish I had felt more willing to reach out to other creatives as I was starting out. I have some old story running in my head that for me to prove myself or be successful, I have to do it all on my own. For the first year or so of working for myself, I barely ever asked for any help or advice or even just a bitch sesh with someone in a similar line of work. I felt soooooo alone, and rightly so, because I wasn’t reaching out. When I started to make more connections with other creatives, and started having honest conversations about the challenges and joys of running my own business, it lessened some of that crazy pressure I was putting on myself to figure it all out on my own. Just knowing there are other people out there dealing with similar challenges and tricky feelings about business and art is such a relief. So yes, connection in general is an amazing resource, I’ve found!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sarahlederer.com/
• Instagram: @sarahledererstudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lederer-47822936/
• Other: TikTok: @sarahledererstudio Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahledererstudio/

Image Credits
Sarah Lederer