this spotlight has been a long time coming and honestly its just taken me some time to find the right words to encompass this eclectic babe. she’s been one of my best gal pals for a few years now, so i’ve gotten the privilege to watch her creativity slowly blossom and come to life. i met ariel when a group of my guy friends asked me to go camping one weekend my sophomore year in college. i was pleasantly surprised when they picked me up that i wasn’t the only girl who agreed to go. we drove out to the desert and camped with about 150 other people. ariel and i bonded hard that night and little did i know that she would become one of my best friends and biggest inspirations. her drive to explore her creative outlets and bring them to life is one of the many things i love about her.
tell us about your journey
when i was 7-10 years old i remember wanting to be a fashion designer. i feel like a lot of little girls go through this stage. i had a notebook with designs, ideas, and patterns. kate spade has always been a hero of mine. i started making purses and other small accessories, but that began to fade into the background as i got older. then i began to focus on new creative outlets, particularly music. my first music love was the punk/rock scene when i was in middle school and highschool. but then things began to shift again when i went to college. as a bio-chemistry honors student, it was extremely demanding. i was on a scholarship so i had no choice but to focus on school as much as i could. i felt my creativity dwindling. that all changed when i went to my first rave, crush 2016
(with hannah actually!!)
it was like the rave scene changed me and brought my creativity back to life. it sparked new inspirations i never thought i would have again. it allowed me to make connections that then opened doors for me. before i found this scene, i felt very alone and defeated, but this community gave me a new sense of belonging. it made me feel comfortable in my own skin. it broke down barriers and allowed me to be myself and be confident. i remember thinking to myself “these are my people.” i’ve met some of my best friends through this community. these emotions are what made me want to contribute to the community by empowering people to feel that same magic within themselves.
who are you?
my name is ariel sassypants, i have been sassypants since highschool because i’ve never really been afraid to speak my mind and apparently that makes me sassy. i am an honor biochem student turned fashion designer that seeks to bring creations to the scene that make everyone feel confident, unique, and empowered.
where are you from?
proud arizona gal. phoenix born and raised.
what’s your passion?
i’ve always struggling with the thought of finding that one thing. i’ve taught myself to do so many different things that i love. but i guess if i had to narrow that all down and put it in a box id say, i love learning. that is a big part of who i am. i love learning new things. and that is my thing. why would i limit myself to just one?
what inspires you?
you don’t know where your next inspiration will come from. i’m inspired by colors, music, women, the sun & the moon, art, dance & movement, overcoming something… different phases of life bring different inspiration.
what are you most excited for?
to start bringing people together. it’s cool to see people wearing my outfits. people dig it. and that’s fucking cool. a big thing for me is i love when people wear what they want. i want cute options that make me feel sexy. but i need to feel comfortable dancing in it all night long. i want the future of rave clothes to be in the hands of someone who really cares. variety is important to me. for this shoot, i chose to have many different collections to showcase that. each collection stems from a different emotion/vibe. how i design things is it always starts with something i feel. everyone has their own style and i want to have something for everyone at miss sassypants.
& the growth of my brand. i want to see people connect through miss sassypants. i want miss sassypants to be seen as a concept – a company stemming from positivity, creativity, and individuality, all of which are characteristics of the customers themselves. MISS SASSYPANTS is a brand that encourages self expression and provides the items for those expressive ensembles. when someone wears an outfit they love, they become a majestic version of themselves and express that personality. you are free to be who you really are and own that style. i want to provide those pieces and give the most unique, trend setting pieces that are comfortable to move and dance in for hours. a brand that is home to that alternative wear for the sparkly, gothic, revolutionary humans we are.
what is most important to you?
creation & connection. i am a creative intellectual. create and never stop creating because our strongest power is to do just that. from a spark of electric energy to an idea to making that idea a tangible thing is beautiful. share ideas and never stop learning.
what legacy do you want to leave?
i want my legacy to have an impact on how others see the world
i want people to feel what i have felt and learn from my journey
i want people to remember to love themselves
i want people to support each other and spread genuine kindness to the people around them
i want people to remember to support local artists, musicians, and businesses- respect the work these people put in to the things they love
most importantly, i want my legacy to inspire people to invest in their dreams.
photography credit: brookklyn photo
clothing: miss sassypants
models: ariel patterson, halle kasper, sephon, tenelle marie, stephanie howe
interview by: hannah
CONNECT WITH MISS SASSYPANTS !
insta: @shopmisssassypants
