Rising Stars: Meet K

Today we’d like to introduce you to K.

Hi K, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Before its debut in October 2019, iconografi – a play on “iconography”, the interpretation of images and symbols – began as just that. The artistic communication of anime, manga and video games has captivated me for as long as I can remember; I’ve sought to incorporate and reimagine such aesthetics in my own work.

My name is K, and I am an artist, designer, and small business owner currently based in the U.S. At iconografi, we design primarily jewelry and accessories – some which are handmade, some which are produced with manufacturer assistance – as well as apparel and other lifestyle products.

Our pieces are heavily influenced by Anime, Videogames, and Japanese Street Fashion, and it’s our aim to make alternative styles of fashion even more accessible and inclusive.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been an interesting journey for sure! We’re still quite new – we’re celebrating our brand’s 3rd Anniversary on October 1st, 2022. It’s been a challenge navigating our new world since the emergence of the pandemic. At first, it was difficult to gain access to in-person events even as things began to reopen.

There were of course the understandable rollovers of previous acceptances and waitlists for rescheduled events, and our options became further limited as we immediately ruled out any indoor events that did not have basic public health measures in place. Meanwhile, the online landscape can be unforgiving in its own ways, but I’m grateful for the community of support I’ve been able to build there, and as we venture out into more in-person events this year, we’ve been able to begin to do the same there.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
iconografi is perhaps first known for our earring designs. I started with laser-cut acrylic pieces and soon moved on to working with wood, metal, and crystals. From cosplay to every day, I seek to design something that could be worn for either – some may lean into one category more than the other, but overall it’s about finding a balance. Beyond that, the aesthetics I’m inspired by push me to design things not as they already exist or have been seen before, but in a way that makes one think that if they lived in this fantastic, fictional world, they’d see this sort of thing. Something that makes them think, “oh, this character in this universe would totally see this in a store and buy it”. That’s the level to which I aim to break down and reinterpret the iconography I consume.

And, a major part of what we do is simply design things we’d like to design, things we’d like to see, wear, and enjoy! As we approach our third year I’ve been fortunate enough to have members of my family embark on this journey with me, and we all have a say in what we’re creating now. An upcoming project we’re thrilled to be working on now is the creation of what we’re currently referring to as “Faux Thigh High Tights”. You may have seen them before – tights with a cute design that give the appearance of a thigh-high sock, but are actually tights with the top part dyed so that it would appear to blend into the skin.

In my own experience, I’ve admired these types of tights, but my frustration of mine in seeing these them was that they only seem to be offered in one skin tone, and forget about “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to the hips! In speaking with others, I’ve heard the same things – the tights don’t even come close to their skin tone, or they never come in their size, and often it’s a combination of both problems.

This Fall, we’re seeking to change that. Since February of this year, we’ve been planning the designs, liaising with our manufacturer, and creating samples which are starting to come in now. As of now, we’re planning to crowdfund for up to three designs, up to five skin tone colors, and sizes S-4X. If we have anything to say about it, that’s only the start! It’s been so important to us to receive feedback and see the excitement for this project continue to grow as we aim to launch the Kickstarter this Fall!

What makes you happy?
I’m happy when I create, and I’m happy when I see the positivity my creations can bring to others. I’m awestruck when something I’ve created inspires someone else to create, to put together an outfit, to draw their characters wearing our fashion, and so on. I love it! I’m always excited to see it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://iconografi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iconografi
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iconografi
• Other: https://linktr.ee/iconografi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Credits
https://sugahri.com and Iconografi Team