Tell me about your background and how you got started in the fashion industry.
Rosa Miramontes: My grandson is the one who gave me motivation to start crocheting about 10 years ago. My daughter was pregnant with my first grandson and I was so excited. So I took crochet lessons and started making toys, hoodies, and blankets for my grandson. My grandson is now 11 years old. I now want to crochet a Batman for my other grandson who is 5 years old.
What was the most memorable work or projects you’ve done?
Beatrice Perez: We try to make what’s in trend. For example, if it’s winter then we make sweaters, shrugs, beanies, and bucket hats. When it’s spring and summer, we focus more on summer tops, shorts, bikini cover ups, and tote bags. Now we want to make more summer sets like bikini skirts with matching bikini tops. We also want to make more plushies for little kids because we noticed that when we sell them at the flea market, kids and even adults like to buy them.
What is your typical design process from concept to completion?
Usually we start when we have free time. We try to start early in the morning around 8 am. When we get tired, have to cook for the family, or need to pick up my kids from school, we take a break. I wish it could be my full time job. We have a family so we have to set aside time to crochet.
Are there specific materials, techniques, or themes that inspire your work?
We mostly use cotton yarns for summer and acrylic or mixture yarns depending on the design and season.
How would you describe your design style or aesthetic?
We get our inspiration from other designers and we make changes to the design when we are making the garment. Like if I see a top that I like, I would buy patterns and put our designs and elements together in the garment. It’s pretty random I would say. The inspiration comes from random places. When I'm shopping and see a cute sweater, I’ll go, “Oh that is cute! I want to make something similar, but add ruffles and be in this color!”
Can you share a specific challenge you've faced in a previous project and how you overcame it?
We go through challenges where we get frustrated when the design we want doesn’t come out the way we want. It’s called “the frog” when you have to undo what you have made. Recently I was making a top and I had to undo the sleeves 5 times. It was frustrating because it's time consuming. I could have been working on a different project and using that time on something else. People don't know the time and effort we put into making our clothes and sometimes we just have to leave it on the side and come back to finish it. The Batman I made for my grandson took me 3 days to figure out how to make, but I did it. That was my challenge, haha. Because you see, every detail takes time to do. Honestly, it is discouraging when people say that what we are selling is too expensive. They don't know how many hours we invest into making our products.
How do you handle creative blocks or moments of self-doubt in your design process?
Sometimes it happens to us because when we have a slow day at the flea market, it makes us doubt ourselves. It makes us question, “Is our work not good enough? Is it really too expensive? Should we lower our prices?” But we already lowered our prices. Before we leave the house to go to the flea market, we pray for the day to go well and for God to bless us and all the vendors. Everyone is there to make an income so we go in with a positive attitude and high expectations. At the end of the day we come home very sad and defeated, but you know with businesses there is always a good day and a bad day. Other vendors come and tell us that their business was also slow and that it was not just us. That doesn’t stop us from what we do. We are humans. We have good days and bad days and for 10 years we have never quit.
What is the most challenging aspect of being an independent fashion designer?
To be an independent designer, we have to be our own bosses. We don't have anyone to tell us what to do. We give ourselves our own stress. We’re self-dependent. When we have a custom order, we do feel the pressure. Sometimes we feel time pressured, but it also takes from our time when the customer changes their mind about sizes or colors. They ask, “Can you do this and do that?” Sometimes it's better to just sell what we have already made.
The first time I was asked to do a commission was two years ago. They asked us, “Can you make my designs?” One customer wanted a ski mask with horns that had blood dripping with earrings and hoops. Sometimes the customers don't see the time and effort we put into it. Even though we made his custom design and sold it for $80, he thought it was too much.
Have you collaborated with other designers, artists, or brands before? If so, how was that experience?
How do you stay informed about current fashion trends and market demands?
We follow a few designers on social media whose accounts give us inspiration, but we don't want to copy anyone. One of the designers we look up to on Instagram is @maypop.shop. She sells clothes and patterns, too. We watch a lot of YouTube videos. My little girl has a TikTok account and tells us what’s in trend and what we should make. Pinterest helps a lot, too.
Who do you consider your target audience, and how do you cater to their preferences?
Our customers are usually 19 - 35 years old.
Are ethical and sustainable practices important to you in your design process?
We try to use every material to the max. If we end up with scraps then we use it to make scrap sweaters or we use the little fibers as stuffing for our plushies.
What are your long-term goals as a fashion designer?
My mom’s goal is to have a website and have a crochet business. Maybe one day we can even rent a place to sell our handmade products.
Are there specific milestones or achievements you hope to reach in your career in 2024?
Just keep on doing what we’re doing. If we have a chance to become more popular through word of mouth, it would be an accomplishment for us.