Today we’d like to introduce you to Jas Thomas.
Hi Jas, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Chicago, IL, and raised in Elgin, IL, I know designers typically say, “I was born into fashion” but I can fully say I wasn’t but my love for dressing myself and always loving helping dress other people made me grow into being a designer.
I didn’t come from money, my siblings and I lived in the Chicago housing projects when we were babies and my parents being young parents made a decision to move us towards a safe and diverse environment in the suburbs to have better opportunities than they did growing up. I was very fortunate because being from where I came from not every kid is lucky to have parents that were still together and didn’t have a chance to leave and start a better life.
I quickly started to form my own opinions at a very young age when it came to what I wear and my dad noticed my love for fashion so he pitched the idea to me going into fashion to become a designer which at the time I didn’t know anything about, lucky my high school at the time provided a course for fashion and I signed myself into which I soon to quickly dropped because I was a teenager still trying to figure things out and wanting to do other things but not able to do both finically.
I drew myself back to fashion towards the end of high school like any other high schooler trying to figure out which path I should take because everyone around me is going off to big colleges or either getting accepted. I wasn’t big on academics and I struggled growing up having a learning disability and not being able to catch on to things quicker than others and feeling super embarrassed about being teased about it so I’ve hidden that from people but deep down it hurt me inside because I was forcing to act as I knew it all but I didn’t.
Sooner or later, I soon realized that I was smart all along and I just really needed to apply myself but more importantly, I realize academics wasn’t for me, and being creative was my specialty all along, I mean I could get into serious debates when it comes to matching certain seams and how to pattern make samples which all involve math and so much more so all along I had it in me to be smarter than the next.
Right now, I can say grew so much as a designer and accomplished so much at my age that I can be super proud of myself and reflect on it. I have amazing mentors that are working in the industry as well as families that support my dreams, I won countless awards that I can list and I am grateful.
Right now, I am working on a project that I will be launching a collection with a brand that I can’t say yet but will be available worldwide and I can’t wait to release the announcement in August as well as interviews with some really big companies that I will soon be making final decisions on when I graduate with my masters at the Savannah College of Art & Design.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say my journey wasn’t easy.
I had people along the way tell me countless times that I wasn’t going make it or why are you doing something that does not go support me financially, but I pushed through it and always had in the back of my head that if these people with big names like Jermey Scott, Christopher John Rogers, Stella McCartney, and Stella Jean all designers that I truly admire make it why can’t I?
I had several doors shut in my face, told me no, and even ghosted me and I moved to a completely different state with no cash and quickly had to restart my life in grad school just to fight for my dreams to be reality.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a women’s wear designer specializing in hand embroidery and print design. I am mostly known for how loud I am with colors and how creative I am when it comes down to needlework.
I would say I’m most proud of my journey as a designer, I wouldn’t say I am fully there that I can kick up my feet and watch Netflix every day which I do sometimes, and have no business doing it and always regret the next day, but I’m in a place where I feel confident enough in myself to walk with my head held high and I can completely walk in a room and can please an audience rather it’s inspiring the next generation or making the older generation respect but love me at the same time.
What sets me apart from other designers would be the way I think when it comes to concept and storytelling, my statement as a designer is “I always believe it is important as an artist to be able to see objects, people, and real-life situations from multiple perspectives” and that’s why I enjoy expressing my feelings and political views through hand-embroidery and prints.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I would say when the pandemic happened I was in so much luck but also bad luck I had family and friends die from the virus and what makes it suck is that I wasn’t able to be there for the people I love to show my respect and that still today affects me in some way even though I know it’s nothing any of us could have done to prevent the situation.
I would say for luck I gained a lot financially, I was able to secure a job even though at the time it was looking like dropping out of school was the only option for me because I couldn’t live or find a job at the time after being laid off but lucky enough when the city shut down.
I was able to give the last month I had in my bank for a down payment on an apartment to secure my stay and later be blessed by the state with financial funds for being laid off during the pandemic.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Www.jasportfolio.com
- Instagram:@j__ade
Image Credits
Kazimir Skye @Skyeb.photo, Julianne @juliannebree, andEcho GU @artist_echo_gu
