It’s a new drawing! Another cake! Oh my ‘lanta, did she just put together a new handmade outfit?! Yes, it was her, and she is me. Hey, I’m Cleo, custom fashion artist, DIY enthusiast, and overall, adorable chaos curator.  My story is as shiny as a polished turd and curated as perfectly as Frankenstein’s monster. There has been plenty of struggle, grit, and a lot of self-discovery to kick this butterfly out of her shell, but by George, some pretty things take some extra, ugly, work to come out fabulous on the other side! Every stitch, every outfit, and every moment has taken me to a powerful point that even gives Superman a run for his money. 

My life has been a constant stream of change. Most of it I did not care for, but all of it needed in order for me to become the creator that I am today.  My childhood was a whirlwind of moving around and hopping between one wildly different social circle to the next. One moment, I was geeking out over Knowledge Bowl with bookworms and straight-laced kids; the next, I could be found pumping iron with all the gym bros in P.E. to get ready to crush it on the softball field. Eventually, I would have to embrace redneck culture to avoid side eyes from the country bumpkins. Mostly, you found me quietly judging my fellow bandmates that couldn’t play their instruments properly for the life of them. But I felt the most comfortable around the groups that thrived on bending or outright ignoring the rules, even when I was as far from a rule-breaker as one could get. Constantly shifting between these worlds taught me how to adapt and how to find the beauty in being different. However, it also left me with one big question: who the hell was I in all of this?

Covid-19 was a really dark time for everyone involved. The hopelessness on any screen you looked at was soul crushing. The only source of entertainment we had was the things that had been collected within the confines of our four walls (or imagination). Between the negativity over the state of the world, and unresolved existential crisis starting to demand attention, I did the only thing that made sense to me… Learn a new skill. I could already draw, bake/cook, crochet, and do a bunch of other things that will start to make you question if I am real or not, but a deep part of me had always wanted to learn how to sew.

*I could take this minute to explain the whole Rocky montage to you, and everything that happened next, but then you wouldn’t be leaving wanting more. *

After countless hours at the sewing machine, growing my craft, my clothes have transformed from protective blankets, to walking stories that blend rebellion, artistry, and individuality into one garment. For me, fashion isn’t about trends; it’s about the sustainable source of confidence that comes with every wear. It’s about taking up space in a world that often tries to box us in. My methods are quite unorthodox, but I would not be able to create beautiful stories without embracing a bit of chaos. So, if you’re looking for someone who can turns scraps into show-stoppers, chaos into couture, and will sing to your garments to seal in the love… I’m your person. Let’s make my therapy sessions worth it and make unforgettable things together.