In an exclusive interview with Alicia’s Studio, featured in our upcoming magazine issue, we sit down with Zoe, a rising textile artist and fashion design student who’s redefining what it means to create with intention. Known for her playful yet deeply thoughtful work, Zoe is carving out a bold and colorful space for herself in the fashion world—one stitch at a time.

Throughout the conversation, Zoe opens up about the early influences that drew her to design, from crafting as a child to discovering a love for crochet and sewing. She shares how her pieces are often made with specific people in mind, transforming yarn and fabric into personal offerings that speak volumes without words.

We talk about everything—from her love of collaging to the challenges of custom orders, the joy of creating wearable art, and the quiet rebellion of moving at her own pace. Whether she’s crocheting a flower bouquet for a friend or blending sewing with texture in a one-of-a-kind bucket hat, Zoe’s process is rooted in care, intention, and self-expression.

Zoe is genuinely one of the coolest people I’ve met—thoughtful, creative, and effortlessly original. Her honesty about the highs and lows of being an artist is refreshing, and her story is just as inspiring as her work. We’re proud to share it with you in this special feature—and even more excited to see what she creates next.

Diving In

Alicia: Hi Zoe! You can go ahead and introduce yourself !

Zoe: Okay, so my name is Zoe. I guess you could say I’m a textile artist. I'm currently going to school for fashion design, and I crochet a lot. 

Alicia: If your crochet and sewing work had a personality, how would you describe it? What emotions or messages do you hope people feel when they see your creations?

Zoe:  I thought about this a little, but it's still hard to explain. I think my work is mostly fun and kind of quirky—like me right now. A lot of the things I’ve made have just been colorful and playful, so I hope people pick up on that. Also, a lot of my pieces have been made specifically for people. So I hope they feel seen when they look at them—like they recognize something in the work that reflects themselves.

Alicia: Have you thought about selling your work?

Zoe: I’ve thought about selling more of my work, but it’s hard. There’s no guarantee everyone’s going to want the same thing. Making the same piece over and over would get boring for me. But if people want custom things—hit me up, I’ll make them.

Alicia: Many creatives have little rituals before starting a project—do you have any habits, superstitions, or routines that help spark your creativity?

Zoe: I definitely need to plan everything out. I’m that kind of person. I usually start with a drawing or sketch, then write out the steps. I need a clear starting point—otherwise I get overwhelmed and just don’t start at all.

Zoe:  What else? Oh! I really like doing collages. One of my classes had us make one, and I was like, “Wait, this is so me.” I love it.

Alicia: I see you doing things for artists too, like how you get ideas based on their music or their vibe. I saw you doing something different at that event and thought, “Oh Wow!”