I am so excited to write today's blog post because it isn't just me writing it- we have a new member of the team! For those of you that have been on this journey since the beginning, you know this is something I have been working towards for quite some time.
I excited to share that I have recently partnered with the SD Met High School to provide guidance and education to young artists and budding entrepreneurs. I was blessed to connect with Ash through a friend of mine, and the universe truly gifted me with such a wonderful and bright student to work with.
I wanted to let Ash introduce himself, so yall can get an idea of his goals and how he will be supporting Think Unique.
Without further adieu- I introduce to you, Ashton Goralka (He/Him)-
Hey everyone! My name is Ashton Goralka (He/Him) and I am so thrilled to have this opportunity to intern with Lo at Think Unique! From what I have experienced so far, I absolutely have loved it. Lo has created such a welcoming and calming environment, and I am so lucky that she has allowed me into her world. I have already learnt so much about developing a strong brand for myself, and basing this off of a target market!
I currently attend SD Met High School as an incoming sophomore, and am taking classes towards a degree in fashion design. My dream is to someday start my fashion brand. Through my clothing designs, it is my intent to invoke a sense of reflection and growth, and how this process does not always come easily. I deeply encourage self love through my designs, as there will be times when it feels as if one is drowning, and sometimes it takes a while to find the surface. My apparel reflects not only the drowning, but also the light that finds them when they are starting to lose hope. My designs invite the viewer to reflect on where they are today, and love themselves despite what they find. Sometimes the truth does not seem pretty, but it is necessary to face it head on in order to grow.
The apparel I intend to produce ties these messages of self love, growth, and reflection through symbolism and metaphors, as every piece of clothing is developed with a message in mind. My clothing is meant to be genderless in order to invoke in the wearer a disregard of what is expected of them, so that they can become their own person.
By the end of this year, I am hoping to get a head start on designing a website, getting a business license, and working towards getting my designs into production. Through my internship with Lo, I am already learning more about marketing my business and how to look for grants! So far, Lo has been more than exceptional with giving advice, and teaching me the ins and outs for starting a business. I am so excited to see where the rest of this internship leads.
To close off, I thought that I would share a couple light hearted fun facts about myself! I just started to learn how to surf this summer, and I have absolutely fallen in love with it. While I am still very much a beginner, I can definitely see myself sticking with this. My favorite flowers are sunflowers, hydrangeas, and snapdragons. I especially love hydrangeas, because my best friend to this day has them growing at her grandma’s ranch. She definitely does not know this, but they always remind me of her and they have since we were children.
Thanks, Ashton, for this marvelous introduction and dive into your creative dreams. I am so grateful for your assistance, and could not be more excited for your bright future. Think Unique family, feel free to say hi in the comments!
We're back to work 🥳
with love & gratitude,
Lo