Cassidy Van Der Veen Visits Guatemala To Develop Business Concept
Recent B.S. Apparel Tech Design Grad Cassidy van der Veen came up with a business concept in her final capstone class which she then visited Guatemala to develop. She tells us about her passion, path, and career plans.
I began at FIDM knowing I wanted to start my own company, but not sure in which direction to go. Through my education and missionary work, I have developed a strong sense of who I am through ethical fashion. I’ve witnessed first-hand the dangers of our industry and decided that I want to be part of the change.
In my free time, I began planning what I wanted my company to look like. Around the same time I was dreaming up my company, I was taking Design Thinking, a capstone class taught by Susan Spencer and Louise Wallace. We were challenged to create a company that we felt the world needed in order to create change. This was the perfect opportunity for me. With the help of these two incredible instructors, we brought the company to life, from initial ideas and prototypes to a business plan and video pitch.
It’s called Nouvella Vous, meaning new you, inspired by the Romans 12:2 verse: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Nouvella Vous is about putting aside the pressures of the world and fast fashion and renewing your mind to slow fashion.
The fabric I use is locally sourced 100% deadstock fabric, hand dyed with a mixture of natural materials, then cut and sewn by me with 100% cotton thread. I believe in using natural materials throughout all aspects of the design process to provide the least amount of impact on our world. Nouvella Vous started out as a way for me to expand my portfolio but I hope that as I continue to grow my following that it can form into a business.
I have always been passionate about different cultures around the world and how they affect fashion through silhouettes and colors; I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate this into my company.
I am inspired by companies who focus on working with artisan women from villages around the world to create handmade one-of-a-kind pieces that represent their heritage. The problem with many of these companies, though, is that they either only do accessories and home goods or garments the average American doesn’t want to wear. I want to change the consumer mindset that artisan-made ethical fashion isn’t for everyone. I want to work with female artisans to help them express their culture through textiles with our modern designs, silhouettes, and colors.
These women have such a unique skill set that they have been mastering for centuries, but they are lacking the marketplace to sell their goods. Employing these women would not only provide dignified work, but it would empower their families as well as their communities.
For the sake of the project, we had to narrow down our vision and start small, so I chose to focus on Antigua, Guatemala. I had connections with a few designers in Antigua and I knew they would be willing to help provide me with information. Before this class, I had already been planning a trip to Guatemala with my dad to explore a few companies that I have been in contact with as well as weaving cooperatives that work with artisans around Guatemala.
While on the trip I was immersed with so much inspiration that it just confirmed my passion in life. I was able to sit and meet with three different female owners who spoke with me about how they started their business—their challenges and their successes.
I joined a weaving workshop which was taught by artisans themselves. This was the most amazing experience of my life; I was able to sit with a lady named Eulaia and learn her lifelong practice of backstrap weaving which is used to create their textiles.
I am not quite ready to take my company into full launch mode but I made connections while in Guatemala that I know will be there for me when I’m ready and for that I’m eternally grateful. I want to thank Susan Spencer and Louise Wallace for all they did to help me with this dream; they were truly there for every step of the way and they have been involved ever since.
Categories: Apparel Technical Design Merchandise Product Development
