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

Hi PiA, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
This is such an important question! The way we think about balance is interesting. It doesn’t necessarily have to be 50/50.

The creative balance is about listening to your muse and your body. I worked for the Fashion Industry for 10+ years and studied fashion for 6 years. The idea is essentially to keep working nonstop- you must always be producing at a large volume.

When I got made redundant in 2020, I suddenly found myself stopping a lot more. I stopped to appreciate the beautiful blue sky, I stopped to interact with the sensuality of nature, I stopped to adorn myself with the sun. I let myself stop. Industries run by big companies don’t always allow for that. I believe it is the change that is needed.

I try not to see my artistic journey as ‘work’ because it holds a different meaning. One that says I am doing this for my survival to pay bills. My Art in whatever form it comes in, it’s purely a love affair with myself and a love letter to the plus size community letting them know you are seen and heard and that we deserve Opulence & a Luxurious lifestyle.

To answer your question, I used to work 8:30am-8pm on most days at my previous jobs, because part of that work culture was if you left 5:30pm on the dot- you were not dedicated and that you don’t care about your job- even though you have given 8+ hours to it 5 times a week.

But as a Slow Creative and someone who is deeply dedicated to understanding her mind and connecting with her mental health, which is also part of my brand ethos. I have come to realise that I was operating like that for a really long time and I can no longer operate that way as I lost myself, I lost the connection I have to my artistic expression and I fell into my dark period – one of depression and anxiety that at one point ruled my life and was leading me down a road of suicidal thoughts.

I have come to realise energetically I tap out around 3/4 hr mark when I’m creating and I let myself rest and move around in between, maybe focus on another task for a little while. Whether we are writers, painters or designers we mentally take on a lot when we create, our brains need a rest.

I also work part-time at another job which I call ‘treasure island’ so I work on building a balance where I feel creatively fulfilled during the week.

We are so heavily knee deep in ‘hustle culture’ that the only solution is to keep working harder to be ‘successful’ but for me if I got up that day, made my bed, fed myself, worked on my art or went to a museum or nurtured myself in another way that day – I am already successful. We get to define what success means to us.

I have noticed the balance comes from letting myself create and then letting myself rest ( resting comes in many forms) as creative come downs are real! Some days I can create all day because I am in the flow and sometimes I can’t create at all and that is okay. We don’t need to be burnt out artists to create our art, we just need to listen to ourselves. The one thing I am working with is ‘Sustainable consistency over intensity’ this is so I don’t get overwhelmed and let myself move at a pace that feels good for me.

Overtime I have come to realise the best cure for my mental health, creativity & relationships is sleep, having a comfy cloud to rest on, switching off from the outside noise like social media btw I LOVE the connections I have made online and having a space online to share vulnerably is a gift! But as a creative if I spend more time consuming rather than creating my lit candle starts to dim but If I feel like I have been resting too much & I don’t feel good then I would reach out to my tribe and connect with them- conversations have a way of sparking joy.

Balance for me can look completely different, it’s allowing ourselves to play with it! I have been experimenting for the past year with my art and personal life balance to see what feels good, after all this is my life’s work and there is no rush.

We are all so different, what I do may not work for others but if you take anything from this, listen to your body, let it guide you in helping to create a opulent and magical balance that feels good for you.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
PiA is a Plus Size Fashion & Lifestyle Label. There are so many layers to what I do- it’s like the Marvel Multiverse! Here are few things about my Art: My most recent Fashion Capsule Collection ‘The Symphony Line’ is a nod to sustainable fashion, whereas I played with a simple concept of taking a duvet cover, a curtain or a discarded cloth from charity shops, saving it from landfill and creating Luxury. This Collection consists of 5 Plus Size Dresses, all shapes are an evolutionary step from one another & are inspired by movement & opulence. All my pieces are one of kind, the fabrics are a one off and the shape keeps on changing so you never get the same thing!

The Accessories range which uses sustainably sourced materials is the ‘Scrunchie Munchie’ collection which is inspired by super large 80’s hair scrunchies, as I never had big strong scrunchies for my thick Indian hair! As well as The Warrior Necklaces I make, fashioned together using wooden bobbins, yarn & beads inspired by my Mum’s Kenyan upbringing.

I also offer my service as a Freelance Fashion designer. With the 13+ years I have in the industry I am able to support independent businesses on creating fits, CAD’s, Technical packs & Pattern cutting.

For example with one of my clients, Caro Gomez who is an Ethical Latin Fashion Label based in London, I supported her in areas of grading plus size patterns & creating CAD work for her customer.

I honestly love it! It’s such a Joy to co-create with others!

Ultimately my goal is to ”Create Magical pieces to Adorn the Opulent Body” and to allow space for plus size/fat people ( however you choose to identify yourself as) a place in the Luxury Fashion Industry.

PiA is about living your fantasy, however wild and out of this world it is.. it’s expressing stories, desires, visions and connection. For me it’s like a never ending ride on a Vintage train and the best part is being opulent doesn’t have to do with money, it’s your energy and its how you feel & how you make others feel – that to me is true opulence.

It’s a love letter to the past, present & future children that you get to make clothes fit you, you can have them tailored to your body. Size charts don’t mean anything! You’re allowed to have beautiful clothes that move with your opulent body.

The way I see the trajectory of my business is as a co-creation between me and my client. We both create something together, something just for their body, aesthetic and of course their fantasy!

We have all suffered so much at the hands of the Fashion/ Medical/ Health & Fitness Industry and we still do to an extent, I for one have done unquestionable things to my body to fit the narrative of society and it deeply harmed me and after reading others’ stories, I started to find ways to heal.

I am most proud of my Community, I am proud that energetically others can connect with me & my art. Honestly life just feels so much easier when I live authentically, things flow a little easier and there’s so much joy & exhilaration in it. I am super excited for the future because there is still so much in me that I want to express and in different ways: I want to connect deeper with my art & others, I want to translate my art in areas of Costume production, Painting, Designing shoes & Jewellery as well as Interior decorating and writing a book!!

And of course Fashion is my first love, I’m currently exploring and allowing myself to go deeper within my art and not limiting myself with the ‘how’s’ or ‘expectations’ of it all but just letting myself create magic that sends bolts of electricity through my body!!! I have this new piece I am working on I will give you a hint.. it’s called ‘Ocean of Opulence’ and the very idea of it gives me goosebumps.. I don’t want to give too much away…but stay tuned!

My journey so far like many things, was a rollercoaster ride. My parents did their best but I did grow up in a abusive household, there was a lot of unmet needs’, a lot of things not said, many of us didn’t know how to regulate our emotions or to allow space for others.
My father drank too much and would get really aggressive, there was a lot of healing that needed to happen in my dads life beforehand but it wasn’t available to him because it takes a certain type of magic to heal us, at first we don’t know what it is because we are so full of pain, but if we keep seeking for some kind of peace we will eventually find it, as we peel back the layers of the things we think are the ‘problem’ our minds start to get quiet, we start to pay attention and really listen to what the problem is and then we hear that voice inside that guides us towards things that are healing. I am just sorry that type of support wasn’t available for my dad or my sister but I still love them and I wish them the absolute best life, they deserve it, we all do.

As a brown skinned person I found out earlier on I didn’t fit in to that environment, I was a easy target. I had to pretend to be someone else, it was like the jungle if I pretended to be a jaguar than maybe the lion wouldn’t try and eat me.

I was exposed to Fashion of past decades at a young age and it made me curious about how the styles changed over time. I started sketching fashion illustrations at the age of 13 when I was bored during summer holidays.

I would remember seeing fashion magazines growing up full of European beauty & thinking I look nothing like that but what I love about how this new world is developing is people are recognising that representation is everything. I feel very grateful to be witnessing the changes happening and being a part of it.

Growing up in diet culture it played a massive part in my relationship with food, my body & fashion. I started self harming at a young age but as soon as my mum found out it stopped because ultimately it was a cry for help, but I didn’t know what help I needed.
I was being fed a narrative at home. in school, in music as well as newspapers & magazines that wasn’t my own, before I was even able to develop my own opinions about the world, my place in it, my body, my voice, my mind, my fashion choices and food! I was given a blueprint. It’s not my story it’s someone else’s. I am all about re-writing my story.

The reason I mention these personal stories is because my business isn’t just a ‘business’ it’s a way of life. As well as being PiA the Fashion designer I’m also Pyreena the young girl. Of course I’m not saying these things made me who I am, I don’t wish those experiences on anyone, I don’t condone abusive relationships, bullying or racism but healing from these things allowed me to create compassion, art and true healthy connections. As well as Fashion being the forefront I also deeply care about mental health so that for me is interlinked with my Art because creating helped me heal and express myself and I hope to offer that to others.

I have studied Fashion since I was 15 years old, I went to college and studied Fashion & Art and then went on to university and studied Fashion Design even in school I took a interest in textile design… there has always been this unexplainable pull towards it.

At times it wasn’t easy especially if your being taught with limitations and you have limitations of your own. What I tell myself is: I can make it easy, I am always in control and I get to play & be curious with my artistic expression.

I try not to see it as facing challenges anymore I only see opportunities in places where I can grow, heal, develop, play, get curious, teach others, be vulnerable, give space to others to explore.

If we flip the words we use, like when people say ‘starting a business is hard’ instead try saying ‘it’s a opportunity for me to bring something from inside myself to the 3D world and let people experience it’.

How do we know what type of impact or legacy we get to make and who we can help in the process if we keep all our opulence inside? Share it generously be vulnerable AF! Start writing that book, start painting, start cutting up fabric! Be freeee!

Being an artist isn’t just about creating the next piece or making that sale, it’s about what we choose to put into this world, it’s our love letter to the past, present & future. Go Bold.

Lastly narratives & old stories held me in a place of limbo for a long time, I understand why now because it showed me a world where I didn’t exist and I do exist and god damn I will live opulently!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So I was born & raised in London and I am still exploring the City.. but I will take you to my favs! but also the best part of going to a new city is getting curious… jump on the bus be spontaneous and let yourself be surprised!

London is a fab city!

I LOVE MUSEUMS!!! Especially the V&A. It’s simply Iconic!

(side note: My greatest Legacy would be to have my pieces of artistic expression stored in a exhibition there)

Okay back to the trip! So in the summer the V&A is lovely, they have a medium paddling pool in the courtyard which is divine, after walking for hours you can grab some lunch (I would opt for lunch outside) and then dip your feet into the cool water!

If you love Nature, we have the one of the best parks called Richmond Park ( not as crazy as hyde park) it’s mesmerising a full day out is needed to explore the grounds, it’s absolutely massive!!!! and they have around 50 deer’s that are home there.

Hype park has those paddle boats which is super cool! you can buy seeds to feed the ducks and swans! fyi those swans are super fast!!

Food wise, I never say no to Italian or Indian food! Opting for family run restaurants always gives me the feeling the food was made with love!

It’s £2 to ride a bike all day, so we will hop on a bike & ride around and take in the views and the breeze! In more central zones like zone 1/2 and 3 there are clearly marked bike lanes.

Next I would definitely suggest a theatre show, I’ve seen swan lake at Royal albert hall, madame butterfly (opera), kinky boots, dirty dancing & Aladdin… let’s make it iconic let’s dress up for the occasion!!!

Windsor castle tour is super fun! I would love to do one at Buckingham palace!

If you fancy picking up a new skill we could head to a pottery making class! I adore Morley college & City Lit they offer such amazing courses!

If you want to experience some of my culture I can take you to one of my favourite Sikh temples ( known as gurdwaras) This city is such a melting pot of different cultures!
We can visit St Pauls Cathedral which is divine! or Swamimalai Temple tbh all places of worship have the most opulent architecture.

We can walk along Iconic Bridge’s or take a lunch boat ride along the Thames and see the city on water whilst eating food and sipping wine

We can take a stroll along portobello market and see some beautiful hand made items.

or perhaps I can take on you a shop around my favourite charity shops, so you can grab a one of a kind item.

We can see the beautiful Art on the walls in East London and then come back home and have a cup of tea and put on a movie.

Tbh it’s endless to what you can do, even something as simple as a picnic in the park or heading to a cat/ dog cafe.

Possibly end the last day with getting a massage and having a lovely spa afternoon so you feel relaxed after your trip!

Oh and we can’t forget to dance! Because dancing makes everything better:)

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?
There’s soo many beautiful moments, people and experiences that have impacted me.

Firstly I want to do a ShoutOut to myself, for choosing to keep on going whilst allowing in love, support and connection.

Super special shoutout to my loving Mum and Big Brother @circularchaos ( who is a brilliant Multi-Product Designer living his opulent life in San Francisco) and my best friend Ashleigh aka Minion ( who is embarking on her own creative journey). Who were unwavering in their love and support & continue to inspire me.

ShoutOut to creative artists/mentors/designers & writers that have inspired me & supported me on this journey @carogomez_joywitch, @thecreatrixspirit, @cynthia.juhailey, @sassylisalister, @celia_magpie, @themoneymedium, @inspiredtowrite for sharing so vulnerably & allowing space for others to do so.

ShoutOut to the Opulent IG community @uncomfortable_bliss, @aboutmichaela @abbie.illustrates, @artistnatalie @yrfatfriend for creating healing content whether it’s celebrating our bodies through beautiful art & fashion or educating us through reels and literature.

ShoutOut to @theweirdotarot and @sheree_sra_giles for your encouragement and magical energy:)

ShoutOut to my favourite podcasts: Maintenance Phase with Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes, Unpublished with Amie McNee & James Winestock, The Plus Size Experience with Michaela Leitz, Flow State with Bobby Lyte, I weigh with Jameela Jamil and some great episodes from M.E.G.A podcast ‘Transform your mind’ with Dr Joe Dispenza and Red podcast ‘Opulence and Scarcity’ with Elayne Kalila and Jessica Hadari.

ShoutOut to my favourite books The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield, The Comfort book & The Midnight library by Matt Haig, Presence by Lisa Lister, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, The Big leap by Gay Hendricks and Creatrix she who makes by Lucy H. Pearce

To the incredible Haute Couture Designers such as Christian Dior, Versace, Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Issey Miyake, Madame Gres & Madeleine Vionnet who inspired this young wonderfully awkward girl and opened her eyes to pure f*cking magic.

There are so many more people and experiences to shoutout because the truth is every single person whether we have spoken or not has an important story to tell and when they tell that story it has sparked something inside of me.. even If we met for 5 minutes on the street or had banter in my dm’s your energy propelled me in such a profound way, when people show up and share part of themselves in this world it is deeply healing. So thank you truly x

Website: https://www.madebypia.com/

Instagram: @pia_plussizefashiondesigner

Other: email: pia.designsuk@gmail.com

Image Credits
Studio: @soif.studios Photographer: @carogomez_joywitch Backstage Photographer: @lidhuerta Production Assistant: @vmefashion Makeup Artist: @adriennexmua Hair stylist: @jemmafowler_mua

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.