This Week's Feature: Chavon Shree is Style Eclectic

Designer, Chavon Sewell

I recently had a chance to interview fashion and jewelry designer, Chavon Sewell for Chavon Shree and I must say she is one cool cat.  Her designs are creative and fun as well as the photography that she has chosen to create her image.

Sewell showed her line at Little Rock Fashion Week 2011 and most recently participated in the charity event, Cirque de Couture benefiting SARPA (Sexual Assault Revovery and Prevention Agency) in Northwest Arkansas.  We love to show off the great talent in the fashion industry who are doing things for good causes, so I hope you enjoy the following interview as much as I enjoyed getting to know this lovely designer.


How do you describe your line, Chavon Shree?


Chavon Shree is eclectic and out of the box.  The clothes and accessories of Chavon Shree are for the women that don't follow the rules but yet make their own!

Chavon Sewell for Chavon Shree

What is your educational and/or experience in fashion design?

While in college I majored in Apparel Studies at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and graduated with a bachelor degree in Human Environmental and Science.  During my studies I got to experience with hands on classes and a lot more of the retail and merchandising aspect of the fashion design world.  I also got the chance to take a study tour trip to Los Angeles and San Francisco for a week with some of my classmates, which was a great experience, because we got to learn many different aspects of fashion design from a company that pretty much started with a sketch to production to the fashion part of how Minnie Mouse at Disneyland has certain outfits she wears for different countries, so she can relate more with the different cultures around the world!  Very cool experience to say the least!

Photo by Little Miss Famous Photography   

How old were you when you first realized that designing was what you wanted to do?


Well, I have always been an artsy person to say the least.  I remember I had all these sketch pads growing up and I would draw and paint these elaborate pictures and tell my mom the whole story behind the picture.  Then once I took my first home economics class in 6th grade I was hooked on sewing.(lol)  I became the kid that took sewing serious on my pajama pants and pillow case.  

Photo by Little Miss Famous Photography  

When you are choosing a fabric to work with, what are some things that you are looking for?


I like something that speaks to me..not literally, because I would run right out the store if fabric did talk to me..(lol).  But I like for a fabric to draw me in to the point I walk past it and can't help but to turn my head to look back and then eventually turn around to see more about the fabric.  Often times when I'm fabric shopping I have a lot of moments of me staring into space or at walls while I'm in the store because I'm having a moment of different ideas that I can do with the fabric.  I also like a fabric that is very versatile, something that I can either tie dye, add different accessories or etc.

Photo by Ejji Studios/  Little Rock Fashion Week  

What is your favorite piece that you have ever designed and why?


I would have to say the very first dress I ever made without a pattern piece would be my favorite piece. I will admit that it has a ton of mistakes, but you wouldn't know until you really examine the dress up close and personal.  That dress until this day still gets a lot of compliments.  I would have to say I'm very proud of that dress, because after making that dress I knew I could pretty much do anything I put my mind to!

Photo by Ejji Studios/ Little Rock Fashion Week  

What are your future goals as a fashion designer?


I have quite a few goals for myself starting with getting an online boutique type of store up and running by the end of this year and continuing to find more ways to advertise and promote Chavon Shree to different areas.  I also want to eventually move to a somewhat bigger city and start up a design company that does special requests for custom design clothing and maintain the online boutique of random clothes we design. I always thought growing up I was a city girl in a country girl's body that should be living in LA or New York, but as I'm getting older I see that I'm really a "Southern girl" at heart, so I know my next destination won't be too far from the south!  And I would also like to get some of my designs into different boutiques as well.

Photo by Phasionation Photography  

You recently participated in a charity fashion event called Cirque De Couture.  How important is it to you to be able to give back to your community? 

It's very important to me to give back to my community. It's really a great feeling! I've always been a giving person growing up.  My mom always taught me not to think I was better than anybody else and let me know that I was very blessed for all the things in my life and that I shouldn't take things for granted.  So anytime I can help out I try my hardest to do so, whether its big or small!

Photo by Phasionation Photography  

Where can people keep up with what you are doing?


To keep up with me..."Chavon Shree" people can go to my website www.chavonshree.com also they can check out my fan page on facebook at www.facebook.com/chavonshreeclothing