Fashion Designer Devon Hamwright talks Illustration, Education, & Cosmetics

Philadelphia, PA Fashion Designer Devon Hamwright talks Illustration, Education, & Cosmetics in an Exclusive Interview w/ Mistah Wilson

Philadelphia, PA Fashion Designer Devon Hamwright talks Illustration, Education, & Cosmetics in an Exclusive Interview w/ Mistah Wilson Mistah Wilso n: Hello,

area. I think the event

Design. I’ve been working

Devon Hamwr igh t! Thank

will be well attended

ever since !

you for coming through

since it was promoted

for this exclus ive

since early this winte r. I

Mistah Wilso n: How was

inter vie w with

like to give myse lf time

life growing up for you in

ThaWilso n Bloc k

in between fashio n shows

Philade lp hia , PA?

Magazine. How is

so that I am not burned

Devon Hamwr igh t: I grew

everythin g coming along?

out and walk ing in with

up near Mt. Airy and

Devon Hamwr igh t :

the exact same pieces.

Chestnut Hill area. The

Everything is coming

area looks extre me ly

along well. Spring got

Mistah Wilso n: Before we

suburba n and a lot of

hectic for me as a ton of

go any furthe r, would you

families are here. I went

projects came togethe r at

mind giving the audie nc e

to a priva te school in the

the exact same time. I am

a quick backgro und on

suburbs so I didn’ t spend

currently working towards

yourse lf ?

the major ity of my time in

gettin g a colle ctio n

Devon Hamwr igh t : Sure! I

actual Phila de lp h ia. It

together that will debut at

started my pre- colle ge

was an amazin g resource

the Secret Garden Fashio n

training at the Unive r s ity

to have the Philad e lp hia

Show on July 21st. I’m

of the Arts. I received my

Art Museum, Barnes

just really focused on

associates degree in 2013

Collec tio n, Franklin

putting my energy into

for Art & Design from

Institute as colle ge

that for right now. The

Commun ity Colle ge of

student. Philad e lp hia may

show will take place in

Philade lp hia . I received

have its proble ms but is a

Egg Harbor Township, NJ.

my Bache lo r s of Scienc e

great place for a young

I’m starting to do shows

from Phila de lp h ia

profess io na l to try to get

outsid e my hometown

Univer s ity in Fashio n

establis hed.

Mistah Wilso n: Whic h

opportunitie s as a

was older, had multip le

came first, your intere s t

teenage r. I also modeled

childr e n and picked a

in illus tr a tio n or fashio n?

for a frie nd of my family

differ e nt career path firs t.

Devon Hamwr igh t : I

she owned her own local

belie ve my intere s t in

boutiq ue.

illus tra tio n came first. I

Mistah Wilso n: Do you have any exper ie nce in

started trying to do my

Mistah Wilso n: As far as

Cosmetic s and Modeling?

best to copy intere s ting

illus tra tio n, when did you

Devon Hamwr igh t: Good

fashio n related ima ge s

know you were a creative

questio n. I have limite d

that I saw online. The

artist?

area of experie nc e in

fashio n came togethe r

Devon Hamwr igh t : There

Cosmetic s as career path.

definite ly last. It was

is never a mome nt when

I know a good deal about

inte llec tua lly stimula tin g

you “quote ” know!

makeup because I used to

to see so many student

However, there is a

work in a spa and salon. I

designe rs working,

mome nt for every artist

have nothing but

cuttin g clothing and

when they have to decide

admir atio n for makeup

engaging them in

to stop playing around

artists. I usua lly have

convers atio n.

and take things more

someone else do makeup

serious ly. I’m lucky that

when I am doing fashio n

Mistah Wilso n: So, tell

realiza tio n hit me when I

shows ( too many things

us…What led you to

was seventee n. A lot

to do). I modeled in high

become a fashio n

people my age are wasting

school for school fashio n

designe r?

their twentie s partyin g,

shows and also for my

Devon Hamwr igh t :

doing drugs and spendin g

frie nd ’s boutiq ue in town.

Journa lis ts like to think

money to impre ss people

Modelin g definite ly

there is a big story line

that don’t care. My

exposed me to some of the

there. I mean I am a

mind se t is that I better

things that go on in the

creative person this was

buckle down now so that I

fashio n indus tr y.

the path that was the best

don’t have to later on! I

fit for me. I was exposed

am going to be able to

to the fashio n industr y

relax in my old age. It

because I got pulled into

would be much harder to

some modeling

do what I’m doing if I

“I believe my interest in illustration came first. I

started trying to do my best to copy interesting fashion related images that I saw online. The fashion came together definitely last.”

“Modeling

definitely exposed me to some of the things that go on in the fashion

industry.”

Mistah Wilso n: What are

educatio n put me on the

skipped livin g in the

some events you’ve been

path to becoming a

dorms and it cut my

a part of?

designe r than not havin g

student loans in half.

Devon Hamwr igh t : I was

done school. It could have

However, I didn’t think

apart of Atlantic City

taken me twice as long

not living in the dorms

Fashio n Week, Inspir in g

witho ut going to school.

would make me an

Teens Fashio n Festiva l,

There are a lot of

outsid er as much as it did.

R.A.W Artis ts and a quite

opportunitie s that are just

I tried to just stay focused

few shows through the

plugged right in as a

on the goal. My mom was

school Philad e lp hia

result of just being being

shelling out her hard

Univer s ity.

enrolled in school. The

earned money. I wasn’t

benefit of the educatio n is

going home witho ut a few

Mistah Wilso n: For our

not just learnin g things

wins under my belt and

younge r audie nc e reading

but having a thrivin g

not get that degree.

this, how impor ta nt is an

network upon leaving the

Trans fer r ing schools can

educatio n and why?

school. People forge t that

be a really tough

Devon Hamwr igh t :

network from colle ge can

experie nc e. All the other

Educatio n can be a great

help them open the door

students bonded during

tool but it is not a

for new potentia l jobs and

freshma n orientatio n. I

guara ntee for success.

inter ns hip s.

came to Philad e lp hia

Your educatio n is a small

Univer s ity as a last

part of a very long

Mistah Wilso n: What was

semeste r sophomo re

equatio n for success. I

your experie nc e like

taking some junior leve l

can’t just fall back and

going to colle ge?

classes. I got accepted to

rest on my degree. I have

Devon Hamwr igh t : I spent

my dream school for the

to active ly seek the

5 ½ years in colle ge .

exact major I wanted in

opportunitie s, apply

Schools do whate ve r they

the beginn in g it is so

myse lf, follo w up, and

can to keep trans fe r

extre me ly excitin g. The

meet new people to

students longe r. I didn’t

excite me nts dies down the

network. I wish it was

live in the dorms so most

homewo rk, tests, and

that easy to snap your

people didn’t want to be

projects start pilin g on.

finger s and have it

frie nd s with me ( not

together. I belie ve that my

saying everyo ne) . I

Mistah Wilso n: Where do

content from the

hope to be an

you pull insp ir a tio n from

beginn in g. They were

inter na tio na l force

when creating new things ?

showing colle ge gir ls on a

eventua lly. I have my

Devon Hamwr igh t :

limited budget how to

work cut out for me in

Anythin g is up for grabs

have these fashio nab le

terms of what I have to

for insp ir a tio n I don’t

outfits . It’s amazin g to

do. We all have to start

care how insa ne the

think that I was apart of

somewher e firs t and

source is. I’m going to try

being there to build that

foremo s t. I would love to

to pulling from new

content as an inte r n. I was

get more invo lved in

sources this year. I would

lucky enough to meet the

social issues but

say past insp ira tio ns for

CEO Melis sa Levin at her

sometime s I just want to

collec tio ns have been

headquar ter s in NYC.

make beautifu l things.

beautif ul tropica l isla nds ,

That was serious ly such a

The issue that remains

nature, street style and

huge mome nt in my

that can not be pushed to

fine art.

career! I also was low key

the side is that our

obsessed with model

indus tr y wastes too much.

Mistah Wilso n: Who are

Agyne ss Devin her style

There are ways to cut

some fashio nis tas that

was so major.

down on clothing

have influe nc ed the

productio n waste and

designe r you are today?

Mistah Wilso n: What

larger companies need to

Devon Hamwr igh t : I

impac t do you plan on

be held accounta b le for

would say the origina l

making through your work

their enviro n me nta l

gir ls from Colle ge

and line of designs?

footpr int in the world. We

Fashio nis ta circa 2013

Devon Hamwr igh t : As an

all own clothing whethe r

were like so insp ir a tio na l

artist you can’t prepare or

it is an expens ive item or

to me. The brand has

predestine the impact the

not!

really reached

work will have! The

monume nta l profess io na l

impac t is heavily depends

heights that it is hard to

on how much the audie nc e

see the origina l raw

likes the work. I would

Mistah Wilso n: What type

in the beginning. I am

Devon Hamwr igh t: I

of fabrics do you like

much more settled into

would say giving back is

working with the most

one place currently. It

a really big deal to me. I

and why?

drove me insa ne working

did not grow up rich and

Devon Hamwr igh t : I love

from two diffe re nt

gettin g through colle ge

working with sheer

studio s. It was definite ly

was a huge fina nc ia l

things. I am so overly

a challe n ge seeing so

struggle . It truly is a

obsessed like a child in

many sewing products and

mirac le that I finis hed

the candy store. It just

gear not knowing what to

colle ge because the

gives me so many ideas. I

buy. I have to

numbe rs said otherwis e.

love working with knit. I

strategic a lly upgrade my

Every summe r I worked

would say knit always was

gear. I’ve never crowd

like a dog to be able to

a strength for me. It is so

funded or asked people to

order supplie s, textbooks,

versatile and behaves

donate for that. Money

transpor ta tio n and meals

differ e ntly. It is not for

will be tight for upcomin g

on campus. That’s why I

everyo ne I don’t teach

fashio n designe rs - just

always try to make myse lf

knit to a lot of my

warning you now!

accessib le to my fan base

beginne r leve l students.

and those fashio n

More fashio n schools

Mistah Wilso n: What are

hopefuls. I know how

should offer more classes

some more of the

hard you have to work if

for people to get better in

rewardin g things ?

you don’t have all the

handling the develop me nt

Devon Hamwr igh t : I think

connectio ns or the family

of a knit garme nt. I also

one of the more reward ing

money. I do try to help

like working with

parts of being artist and

people when I can. People

differ e nt dye method s. I

designe r is having work

want to see companie s

fail a lot but mome nts

recognize d. My reward is

have transpar e nc y and

when I succeed are

in my students and also

social respons ib ility. It’s

price le ss !

having the work be loved.

definite ly somethin g my

It’s also pretty insa ne

team and I will work

Mistah Wilso n: What have

when sometime s local

towards once the busine ss

been some challe nge s

fans recognize me from

stabilizes fina nc ia lly.

you’ve faced along your

my Insta gr a m.

journe y?

Devon Hamwr igh t : I

Mistah Wilso n: How

would say not havin g a

impor ta nt is giving back

core studio to work from

to the commun ity for you?

Mistah Wilso n: What

aspiratio n to have but

a Facebook busines s page

positive , encoura g in g

learn how to sew first!

for Devon Hamwr igh t

words do you have for

Learning how to sew

Designs. I recently put

aspir ing creative fashio n

should not come at the

some product on Etsy. I

designe rs ?

end of signing paperwork

will add more inve nto r y

Devon Hamwr igh t : I

to open a brick and mortar

for pieces that are up for

would say don’t focus on

store. New busines s

sale. I’ve never tried

the people that don’t show

owners aren’t going to

sellin g my designs online

you or your designs any

have that much free time

before so we are going to

love. You could be the

to inve s t into a new skill

give it a shot.

most amazing designe r

set. Sewing is the

and there will still be

funda me n ta l build ing

Mistah Wilso n: Hey,

people that won’t care for

block to all aspiratio ns

Devon Hamwr igh t! Thank

your style. Accept it!

most people seem to want.

you so much for coming

Move on! Find your tribe!

through for this exclus ive

You need to develop thick

Mistah Wilso n: Where can

inter vie w with

skin to be apart of the

people follo w you online?

ThaWilso n Bloc k

indus tr y. Get rid of

Devon Hamwr igh t : I am

Magazine ! It’s been an

frie nd s, partner s and

pretty heavy with

honor! If you have any

family membe rs that don’t

Instagra m. It is probably

shout outs you’d like to

support you. The energy

my favor ite socia l media

give, let’s hear it…

is better spent on

platfo r m You can follow

Devon Hamwr igh t:

betterin g yourse lf than

me at @devthe fa s hio n gir l

Thanks for havin g me! I

convinc ing people of your

on Instagra m. I am going

really apprecia te what you

worth or talent. Invest

to make a new twitte r

are doing for all the local

time learning the craft

account for fashio n design

artists, mus ic ia ns , and

anywa y possib le through

at some point. I would say

entrepre ne ur s out there.

an apprentice s hip , school

my current Twitte r

Just want to give a

or self- ed uc atio n. It is

became more centered

shouto ut to all my

also impor ta nt not to rush

around music and keeping

students at Tulpe ho cke n

through the steps. I speak

up with artists I admir e.

Excha nge ! It’s a great

to a lot people online that

It’s really impor ta n t to

place for artists in the

want to have their own

have social media

Philade lp hia commun ity

boutiq ue and sell their

channe ls that all basica lly

to take classes and learn

own designs ins id e the

keep the same message

new skills.

shop. That’s a great

coming across. I also have