Today’s Meet the Maker interview is with Collette from Not Your Mom’s DIY! Her name says it all… forget everything you thought you knew about DIY because NYMDIY is a fashion brand for a new generation! We love the way Collette transforms hoodies, skirts, and fedoras with her unique, artistic flair and we can’t wait to share her story with you!
Hi Collette! Thanks for sharing your story with us today. Can you tell everyone a little about yourself?
I love fashion and art. I have a degree in fashion design and worked as a handbag designer at Fossil for several years before leaving to pursue my own passions. I painted a couple of the murals outside Mosaic, which was so fun!
We’ve loved your murals… and we’ve loved seeing customers share photos of themselves in front of them on Instagram! What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
PIVOT (like Ross from Friends, but also from my sister and every business book ever). I have the entrepreneurial itch but started so many different avenues at first. I have pivoted many times, and having the mindset that it is okay to change is great, and allows the opportunity for so much more growth than I ever anticipated.
Pivoting is so important right now! Tell us about Not Your Mom’s DIY! What do you make and how long have you been doing it?
My business is called Not Your Mom’s DIY (@nymdiy on social). This business actually started more as a sip and paint DIY event. I created several really fun DIY paint projects on wearable and functional “canvases” instead of the traditional canvas. So we painted aprons, dish towels, hats, etc. Hence the “DIY” part of the name. Then, when Covid closed down events, I pivoted a bit (more below). I have been doing this for just over a year.
We’re looking forward to in person paining events with you one day, but we’re loving the art you’re creating now! Why did you get involved with MMC?
I was looking for a really great space for paint events with NYMDIY, and Mosaic actually had a wonderful setup (and maybe will again one day!) Though we never were able to actually do any in-person events at the Mosaic shop, I just loved the vibe and background of the Mosaic shop and couldn’t wait to be a part of it as a maker, and on occasion host virtual events. At this point, it has become a really great network of women makers and a great venue to get my product out there!
We are so glad you are part of our community! How has your work evolved over time?
I actually started my entrepreneurial journey with a brand of women’s comfortable office apparel called Victory Darling, which was ultimately not where my passion lay, but I learned a lot from that experience. Because I wanted more “hands-on” painting and art in my business, I started hosting DIY events for a few months with Not Your Mom’s DIY, before Covid happened and events were pretty much canceled. I dipped into online events here and there, but I took that time to explore more hand-painted fashion and athleisure apparel. So currently my best sellers and what I love doing most are these really fun modern art hoodies. I’m looking to expand that this year!
We’re living in athleisure this year, and you make even the basics look fashionable! Last question: What’s the most recent show you binged on Netflix?
Cobra Kai (COBRA KAI NEVER DIES) Seriously considering taking karate now (though I probably won’t actually do that).
Keep us posted on your karate adventures! Will we see paint and kick classes instead of paint and sip one day?! Thanks so much for sharing the story of Not Your Mom’s DIY with us. We’re so glad to have you as part of the Mosaic Makers Collective!
Want to learn more about our makers or shop Not Your Mom’s DIY ? Check out these additional resources:
- Visit our shop in the Bishop Arts District
- Shop Not Your Mom’s DIY online
- Meet more of our Mosaic Makers on the Blog