Meet SAMANTHA JEAN MOORE | Circular Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with SAMANTHA JEAN MOORE and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi SAMANTHA JEAN, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
Modern “hustle culture” tells us that we need to constantly be productive and always chasing a bigger bag. I spent so many years hustling and saying yes to every single opportunity and it ended up making me sick! Now I know that it’s much better to really focus on projects that are aligned with my purpose and passion. I understand what it’s like where you’re first starting out and you’re just hungry for whatever comes your way. But now I know the reality is that we only have so much time and so much energy. It’s more important to really know what your personal goals are, then only do those things that really ignite your passion. Learning to say no to something that isn’t a good fit will get you so much further in life than saying yes to everything.

It’s also crucial to take rest days and really give yourself time to recover. Trying to do everything will leave you feeling drained and dissatisfied. I take care of myself by building in rest days into my schedule and taking rest just as seriously as any other activity on my schedule. Taking time off helps to restore my energy and enthusiasm for big projects. I need that energy so that I can keep doing my best and enjoying what I do. It’s not all about the grind and making as much money as possible. My priority is being happy and healthy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My name is Samantha Jean Moore and I am a Circular Fashion Designer. I’ve been redesigning clothing and jewelry for over a decade, which makes me a leader and trendsetter in the upcycled fashion community. We’ve all seen the shift that’s been occurring in the fashion industry away from fast-fashion and towards a more sustainable and tailored era of fashion which better serves the individual as well as our planet as a whole. While many artists and companies are jumping on this new trend, my business has led the way in educating people in the art of mindfully dressing by offering customized clothing and alteration of their existing wardrobes.

My work has always been about taking things that are discarded and broken and transforming them into something cherished and inspired. I work with vintage, damaged and unconventional materials and I give them new life. My brand offers so much more than the average retail experience. I encourage people to define themselves through the art of dressing by giving them the opportunity to explore their own quirks and special interests. I allow people to hold on to what is most dear to them by enhancing what they already have. Through this process I get to build meaningful relationships and help people grow their personal identity by reconstructing old garments. It’s truly an alchemical process, spinning something old into pure gold. My work impacts people’s confidence and helps them to unlock hidden parts of themselves, and for that reason I’m extremely proud of the work that I do.

My artistic career began in a rundown manor on the Northside of Lexington, Kentucky. A hundred years ago, the building was once a magnificent home and plantation. Over the years it was converted into multiple apartments and fell into disrepair before being converted into affordable artist studios when I was moving in in 2011. I had recently graduated from college, the housing market was bankrupt and I had no job prospects or any idea what to do with my life. A friend reached out to me and told me I should join this artist community and that the rent was only $275. At the time I was so confused because I never thought of myself as an artist, but I also didn’t have a place to live so I moved in and started sleeping on the floor of this artist studio.

It was Heaven. Every day, I woke up in my studio and just started making art. I had coffee with the other artists in the house and we shared our ideas with each other. We planned events and we invited people into the space and sometimes we made a little money and it was absolutely amazing. It was one of the happiest times in my life. But it was also short lived. The parties we had got out of hand and eventually somebody had to take the fall. When people found out that I was living in the space, I got kicked out, and after that I was officially homeless. I had no job and no way to secure an apartment so I started sleeping on my friend’s couch. Sometimes I slept outside in the backyard if it was too hot. When it was too cold I would sleep in my fur coat that I got at a Goodwill for $25 (best investment ever!). And I kept making my art and occasionally sold a few things.

After a few months some friends opened a restaurant downtown. Della’s was a late-night food spot that stayed open after all of the bars were closed. There was a storage closet upstairs and they let me rent it for $150. There was no running water but I got to eat in the restaurant if I helped bus the tables, so that made it worth it. At night I could hear the mice chewing and clawing around in the walls. But I had a place to sleep and I kept making my art.

By this time I was doing local festivals and pop-up markets every chance I got. People were donating their old clothes and I would buy old coffee sacks 10 at a time and repurpose them. I had created this really popular item at a time when Kentucky was really starting to fall in love with itself. A Kentucky shaped pillow was my first product; it’s the thing I’m still most known for today and it absolutely changed my life. I also created my first collection and showcased it on the runway at the Future of Fashion while living out of that storage closet.

For the next few years I made hundreds of pillows, did dozens of shows and I was eventually able to secure my first apartment. I started doing bigger and bigger events and eventually I became known for my denim jackets. I was featured on a storefront window downtown and I became the face of Savané Silver. In 2015 & 2017, I took first place in local Recycle the Runway Competitions. In 2022 I won the first ever Sarah Jane Estes Sustainable Fashion Competition for my hemp based designs and was featured in Sophisticated Living Magazine.

This year in 2023 I knew I was ready to grow. I needed to push myself to see how far I could really go. So I decided to go to fashion week in New York and Los Angeles. I didn’t know anybody and I had no idea what to do but I started researching and I started sewing. I spent hours searching for events and I carefully designed outfits that I thought would make an impact in those specific spaces. And just by stepping out of my boundaries and putting myself out there, miracles started happening.

On my last night in New York I attended an afterparty hosted by international visionary art director and advocate Suzanne Bartsch. I was lucky enough just to see her in person, but decided to be brave and walk up to her and introduce myself and ended up taking an iconic photo with her in the staircase at Le Bain. It was at that party that I also met Canadian journalist and activist Hillary LeBlanc who later wrote an article about my sustainable fashion designs for ANNAKM.com. She also invited me to Fashion Art Toronto where I was featured in two local interviews and highlighted TWICE in the top 25 Best Dressed list by @fashionstudiomagazine

During LA Fashion Week, I managed to squeeze my way into a small runway show for Daneault Bags, and because the show was just featuring accessories, I was able to wear one of my own MOCOCO blazers in the show. From that show I connected with a model who invited me to an @Indiefashion showcase at a mansion in Orange County where I was interviewed on the red carpet and got the chance to meet dozens of local models, photographers & designers including Forever Lavi and Qaysean Williams from Season 2 of Next in Fashion. Every interaction has given me the confidence to keep moving forward. I found my people and realized that I definitely belong in this industry.

Hanging above my dresser I have a small embroidered plaque that reads. “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? I take things that are old and broken and I give them new life. And I’ve taken my own life from sleeping on the floor to sipping champagne on the rooftops of New York City, and I’m just getting started. This year I’ll be modeling on the runway for Fashion Art Toronto and I plan on showing my first international collection in 2024. Everywhere I go I will honor my purpose by turning the forgettable into something incredible, and encouraging everyone around me to do the same in their own lives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m still very new to LA so I need all of the suggestions!

If you’re just visiting LA and want to stay downtown in a place that won’t break the bank, I would definitely recommend the Freehand Hotel. The room rates are very reasonable, especially if you’re willing to stay in a shared room, hostel style. I paid $44 a night in a four person room and got to enjoy their beautiful relaxed lobby, delicious restaurant & café, and the amazing rooftop pool and lounge with gorgeous views of the city. It’s right around the corner from a Wholefoods, an Apple store, and dozens of venues like the Crypto Sports Arena & Museum of Contemporary Art.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Joanne Couch @kytrifectabyhandmadehoperags

Joanne Couch has been a beautiful friend and mentor to me for the last 8 years. She has worked as an archeologist, a construction site manager, a director for a non-profit, and now she teaches at a Montessori school. On top of all of that, she is an incredible fashion designer and a mom of two.

Joanne has always been an inspiration and a reliable support system for me. She considers me in everything that she does and has brought me so many amazing opportunities. Together we have set up pop-ups at festivals, competed in the Sarah Jane Estes Sustainable Fashion Competition, curated 2 Bluegrass Transplants exhibitions, and had a mini shop at Greyline Station in Lexington, Kentucky.

I am so lucky to know her and so grateful for her love and support.

Website: www.mococolex.com

Instagram: @mococolex

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-jean-moore-a8658b164/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mococolex/

Image Credits
MEGAPIXELHEAD NightMind Photography Andrea Elizabeth Gabriel Bruce Barnett josie_the_cowgirl Jake Kalter