We recently connected with Shawnece Stanciell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawnece, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I was always someone who altered their own clothes. I struggled with my weight in my 20s, so I had to learn to alter my own clothes. Whenever I would cut something up to make it fit or hand sew pants to shrink the waist, I would be so proud of myself. Once I started to realize a lot of women had the same problem as me, I wanted to make them feel comfortable in their clothes. As I would do for myself. I uncovered a moment of certainty when I realized my craft was meant to be more than a hobby. That moment was such an eye opener for me.

Shawnece, 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! My Name is Shawnece, I am 30 years old and I am from Portland, Oregon. I currently reside in Dallas, Tx.
I got into the designer industry late in the game. I was always making clothes or crocheting things in high school, but I never took my talent seriously. I didn’t think I could pursue a career in it and make a sustainable living. When it comes to buying clothes that are generically sized, its relatively hard for curvier girls to find a good fit. That played a huge role in why I decided to get into fashion. All the cute clothes would have tiny cup sizes and minimal stretch. Buying clothes shouldn’t be an excruciating experience. It should be fun and exciting. Being a custom clothing designer has allowed me to make connections with people from all walks of life. It makes me happy when customers share their shopping stories with me and how much they appreciate my work. I want people to know that no matter what size you are you should feel comfortable and sexy in what you wear. the clients I have range in shapes and sizes but one thing they know is that I am going to make them feel beautiful in the pieces I make. Coming to me with a custom design is just the beginning. most of my clients find a friend in me through the whole process.

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

Just this past valentine’s day I participated in a 14-day challenge. From February 1st to February 14th, I had to create a new outfit every day. The passion you must have to get up every day and sew a new article of clothing’s is a big one. I did this challenge to get better at some things and to push myself to the next level. I wanted this challenge to be a hard one, so I did not have an outline or game plan for the outfits. I grabbed whatever fabric caught my eye that morning and I designed whatever outfit that came to mind first! It was such a fun process but also one that pushed me creatively and mentally. Resilience at its finest.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing is hearing those customer reviews. I work in the service industry so reading good reviews about me online is one thing but hearing a client love something I handmade them is another. A past client wrote on my Instagram telling me that “the way I made her feel in her dress was like magic”. That right there is a reason why I will never stop. Whenever I get discouraged or feel like I’m not good enough to work in this industry those reviews lift me up and get me back on track.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: shawnicolee_
• Facebook: shawnee nicole
• Other: tik tok : shawnicolee

Image Credits
outfits made by me (shawnece stanciell)