Meet Shannon Stutenroth | Slow Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shannon Stutenroth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shannon, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I’ve been trying to define the definition of success for myself ever since I started my brand, So Squish. It was at the height of the pandemic where I had nothing to do but to get a hobby. I started knitting, painting and sewing and eventually my hobby grew into a business that has brought me more fulfillment, friends and amazing experiences than I was expecting. I think I’ve finally been able to see that the most important factor for my own success is that my career is 100% creative. I thought that maybe I could hold down a 9-5 and do some creative work on the side. But as So Squish has created a full time opportunity for me, I realize that I truly couldn’t do anything else and feel content. The fulfillment I find every time I finish a piece or collection, do the photoshoot and post it to my website is like nothing I’ve felt doing any other job, art form or sport. This goes for my brand’s success as well. If I stopped putting in the love and care into each piece it would show. I want my customer’s to always feel like the item they bought had my whole soul put into it. Quality is highly important to me as well as sustainability. I will always take the time to source my materials to match that importance and create each piece with that in mind.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I went to film school, came out to LA and started doing freelance cinematography work. It was a slow start but I eventually started to gain some traction right before the pandemic hit. Since I started So Squish I’ve been doing a mix of freelance and “squishing” as I call it to support myself. The best part of it all is being able to combine elements of the two. I recently had a a huge mohair sweater collection drop which I directed and shot a fashion film for styled with the entire collection. It was such a fun way to flex my filmmaking muscle and showcase So Squish at the same time. I think that my brand has gotten to where it has today by creating quality of content through photo and video and utilizing all social media platforms to promote my work. It takes a lot of time to not only make the clothes but plan, style, shoot and edit content for it as well.

The hardest part about these two seemingly similar means of creativity is that in the broad sense of industry, they are totally opposite. In American culture you go to school for one thing and you are expected to get really good at that one thing and do that one thing until you die. I.E. a career. I don’t think I can ever sign up for that type of career. I have so many ideas and creative endeavors that I want to pursue and I work hard to learn and grow and become good at all of them. Most people don’t seem to see that as success however, I want my career to be filled with an abundant amount of mediums that I can master through out the rest of my life. My brand is constantly evolving! I will always keep that funky flare of fun around in all my pieces, however I will always explore new ways of knitting, sewing, painting and creating the fun sweaters, pants and dresses that are So Squish.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I’m more of an “East Side” kind of LA gal, I like to keep it that way when a friend visits. The beach is nice and all but I love love love what the east side has to offer! First things first, Figaro Bistro in Los Feliz for happy hour and dinner, then the Los Feliz theater is right down the street, so maybe we catch a movie. Cedar Grove in Griffith park is my favorite little hiking area. It’s a steep walk up but once you’re up the views are beautiful and the trees are huge like the redwoods. (I actually shot a music video there once.) I love the thrift and vintage stores in Atwater Village on Glendale BLVD, so we would definitely be hitting those! Perhaps a walk down York BLVD in Highland Park, Cafe de Leche is the best coffee shop around and then maybe we would grab lunch at Red Lion Tavern in Silver lake and sit outside. Downtown Pasadena also has my heart. Xi Tapa’s has a super fun Drag Night on Thursdays, and Barney’s is a block down and open late! I think the best part about the east side of LA is that its never too big to stop, walk around and discover. It feels like a myriad of quaint small towns, each with their own personality and unique shops and eats along the way.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been an abundance of slow a designers who I’ve had the privilege of connecting with and learning a great deal from! Mostly connecting with them through Instagram, as a rookie in the game they have inspired me, invited me to sell at markets, taken the time for coffee and advice and shouted ME out on social media, helping me grow my customer base. So BIG shout outs to, Good Sport, Gimme Greens, Zig Zag Goods, FunkStruck and Owlephant!

Website: sosquish.bigcartel.com & shannonstutenroth.wixsite.com/shannonstutenroth

Instagram: @sosquish_ & @sh_nn0n

Other: tiktok: @sosquish_

Image Credits
Eleanor Reitzel, Shannon Stutenroth, Mitch Herndon