Can you still call yourself a jewellery or fashion designer if you buy jewellery or clothes?

OF COURSE YOU BLOODY CAN!

I’m following on from Tuesday’s post about comments from a few week’s ago where I was accused of hideous things by a very rude, insecure, immature child.

She wrote:

And by the way, your jewellery & “style” is absolutely horrendous! I am embarrassed FOR you! I have never seen anything as disgusting, cheap & tacky as what’s displayed on your page. You really shouldn’t be using the terms “couture” or “fashion designer” either, you are buying cheap crap online & mashing it up together into a hideous mess, THAT IS NOT COUTURE OR DESIGNING!!

The definition of designer, be it jewellery, accessory, clothing, household furnishings etc is this: A person who devises and executes designs, as for works of art, clothes, machines, etc

So yes, anyone designing, making and creating jewellery or clothes is a jewellery or fashion designer.

This does not prevent or stop you from BUYING jewellery or clothing. If you make your own clothes or jewellery you don’t have to refuse to buy or wear any other designer or even store bought.

Just because I buy most of my clothes does not mean I have not designed clothes before and therefore cannot call myself a designer. The same with jewellery. You’ve all seen what I make, be it for sale or for myself, just because I buy a tonne of it does not mean I am not a designer.

This person is clearly confused. Does she believe that because I show the clothes I buy I must be claiming to make them? I don’t and never have as I leave the details of where I buy them from and how much the article cost. The same with jewellery. I have always kept my jewellery that I sell separate to what I buy or make for myself. That doesn’t mean I don’t make it and therefore can’t call myself a designer.

I am a designer because I design, make and create jewellery. More so than clothes, but I have also done that over the years. Abusing someone and telling them they “really shouldn’t be using the terms couture or fashion designer” because I buy online and mostly in store is rude and shows a lack of maturity and security in your own self and own style.

Attacking someone about their style is also not on. Style is what you make it. Just because it’s not “on trend” doesn’t not mean it’s not style. I dress in what I like. I don’t dress for anyone else, least of all immature, insecure children like her.

I AM a jewellery designer because I design, make, and create jewellery, for myself and for sale.

I DO make couture pieces because couture also refers to jewellery.

I AM a fashion designer because I have made and decorated clothing for myself in the past.

I have style and flair because I am not immature or insecure in my looks, the way I dress or what I wear. I dress for no one but myself, I buy for no one but myself and know full well what I can and can’t call myself.

I CAN call myself a jewellery, accessory and fashion designer because that is what I am. Whether anyone else likes it or not in their jealous hate fuelled anger.

I have also taken photos, to prove my point, of just some of the clothes and accessories I have made, created or designed and put them into those three categories. Made; because I made it from scratch. Created; because I took an article and recreated it. Designed; because I designed it but someone else made it.

As I am not a sewing pro I have only MADE three articles of clothing. My Hawaiian print dress and skirt cut out, sewed up and decorated with sequins by me. My jumper/sweater I made, from scratch, in high school, cut out, sewed up and decorated by me.

Hair accessories MADE by me when I had long hair. I still make hair sparklies in my collections for sale.

A pocket kerchief and scarves, MADE by me! I may not be a pro but I can sew the basics.

Now we are on to CREATED, where I took an article of clothing or accessories and painted, crafted, sewed on bits and pieces to CREATE something new. Below are denim jackets, tshirts, shirts and jeans.

Below are hair combs, hair clips and basketball boots I took and CREATED something new with. The combs are painted or have Swarovski crystals. I completely redid the maroon hair clip, added the blue pieces with crystals to the middle one and painted the bottom clip. The boots I painted.

Below are just some of the clothes I DESIGNED but had made by someone else. My mother knits everything I have so the cardigan and music jumper (along with other jumpers and matching beanies and scarves not pictured) are by her but my DESIGN. My shirts and rock n roll jacket were done by a local seamstress back in the late 90s when I line danced. I DESIGNED everything and drew up the pic, she made them. She worked just down the road so it was easy enough to go there on the way out or on the way home from somewhere. Sadly, everyone found out where we got them done from and copied.

I’ve also DESIGNED tshirts through Vistaprint. Yes, we can all use their designs but when you add words and craft things differently you DESIGN the product.

So there you have it, my definition of made, created and designed and yes, I CAN call myself a designer!

What have you guys made, created and designed for yourself and have you ever been told you’re not allowed to call yourself a designer?