Artist's Statement

As I walk and drive through life I am constantly thinking, constantly inspired by what I see around me and I try to jot down ideas as I go along. I'm lost without a pen and paper, a check list, a brief note. YazBerry Fashion is my outlet to bring that which inspires me to life, in a tangible, wearable, useful way. I create because whatever it is that keeps me up at night with ideas spinning through my head must be fed by putting my hands to work manifesting my visions.

I am obsessed with recycling; I think I was a first wave 'reduce, reuse, recycle' student and it stuck with me from an impressionable age. I strive to recycle as much as I possibly can; this comes through in my design work. I love working with recycled materials. I almost prefer them to new materials, though I do use a mix in my work. There is something about picking up a discarded material, taking in its limitations and characteristics and finding a way to breathe new life into it. I consider this sustainable fashion.

In the last fifteen years I have made my way around the world. I am inspired by the colors I see, vivid tropical hues, bold eastern pigments and delicious color combinations. I try to capture these colors, textures and sights in my work.

I enjoy examining everything I can with my fingers and my eyes, learning its texture, seeing its ornate details. I pay attention to these things and create with the details and hand in mind. I am inspired by vintage garments, architecture and the textiles themselves. Because I work with a lot of recycled materials, often the material tells me what it should become. I enjoy designing this way and find it more challenging to design from a drawing or a vision and find the materials that work to make this vision come to be.

My work is colorful. It has strong shapes, bold colors and patterns and subtle details reminiscent of vintage craftsmanship. I create with people that enjoy treasure hunting in mind. People that enjoy the art of dressing themselves in special items, pops of color, three or more colors at once like me. I design for people wanting something unique, one of a kind; something not available in malls or department stores. My work is wearable art.

- Virginia E. Berry

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