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

Hi Taiana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
To be honest my business started on its own due to just plain old luck and making the most out of a great opportunity! I was given an assignment to create hand felted fabric for Calvin Kleins 2009 runway show and with that show and momentum the demand started, My business started quite quickly, within a couple weeks I went from being an art student and model in New York to having 35 new accounts with high end retail stores across the globe. The first two stores I sold my felted scarves and blankets to were Maxfields LA and Rick Owens Paris, I knew these people personally and they loved my new creations! It was all very exciting. Within the first week of being in those stores my lovely agents Heidi Sy and Jean Dalmas of Red Velvet Showroom found me and together we opened tons of new accounts. The rest is history.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Felting the way I do, being both an ancient process and intensive one, requires a full body workout! Its quite alchemical when I think about it. Roving (in my case raw wool fibers) is layered over time, next boiling water and soap is carefully applied to the surface of the wool, followed by hours and hours of agitation and pressure, coaxing the fibers to fuse into fabric. Followed by hours, days, weeks or months of rolling wool, cutting wool, and needle felting the fibers onto the wet felted base. I think the process the pieces undergo alone sets my work apart.

There are no machines involved, there are no shortcuts, it’s just plain old back breaking work. I love it! No matter what, the work turns out differently. Its almost impossible for me to duplicate a felted piece exactly. There are many variables to account for; the fibers themselves have their own characteristics, the breed, the color, the dye, the temperature of water, my energy that day, the weather, my mood, etc. It’s really magical to know that each piece will develop into its own unique self despite how much of me I put into it. As crazy as it may sound, I try my best to listen to my materials and let them dictate their agenda.

Getting where I am today took a lot! Long hours, lots of experimentation, excessive labor, hours and hours of repetition, madness, obsession, great friends, great family support. How do i overcome my challenges? I am quite persistent, I’m known to keep trying (obsessively) until I figure things out. Im not one to give up or put work away to be finish another time. I always finish what I start, sometimes to a flaw! But alas in the end I will have learned an important lesson, and my mind is fresh and open for new creations. Ive learned that all challenges can be over come with time and effort, and its always worth pushing through.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Open up a tide chard, and at low tide walk as long as you can down the beach. Have a wonderful coffee at Dart Garden or Handlebar, Lunch at Merci, Corazon, Bettina, Flatbread, Roris place. Ice cream from McConnels. Get some surf goods at Mollusk, beautiful home goods at Heritage Goods and Folly. Great clothes from Covet by Kate, Kara Thoms Boutique, Renaissance Fine Consignment.

Nearing sunset, take an urban walk into the hills, the riviera or any of the foothills. Find a trailhead, and go up! dip your head in the creek on your way. Go check out all the cute dogs socializing at the beach, take a cool refreshing swim in the ocean while your at it. it will wake you up! Mostly, meet some locals and get invited to their home for dinner!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents Cheryl and Sebastian Giefer, Paris Kain, Francisco Costa of CK, Heidi Sy and Jean Dalmas of Red Velvet Showroom, Kendal Conrad, Sarah Stuart, Michelle Lamy and Rick Owens

Website: Taiana.com

Instagram: taianadesign

Image Credits
Lauren Ross, Blue Gabor, Nancy Neil, Morgan Maassen

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