Today we’d like to introduce you to Riza Clave.
Riza, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a self-taught Seamstress, Designer, Pattern-maker, and a Lifestyle Photographer based in San Diego.
My grandma was an entrepreneur and a seamstress, too… She taught me how to Hand-sew when I was about nine years old… ever since then, I’ve been Hand-sewing til High School where I finally decided to learn how to sew on a machine to save time. I started off with making custom gowns such as prom dresses, wedding dresses, and altering clothes as my side hustle in High School.
After HS, I wanted to attend an art school for design, but my parents and I couldn’t afford it, so I settled with trying to pursue civil engineering in San Diego State… but I was never satisfied nor happy with what I was doing since my mind was elsewhere. So, when I was 21, I decided to drop everything and pursue this whole Fashion Design thing, and it went really well for two years… till I had to take a break due to personal issues…
And while I was taking a break, my friend Mark Andrew inspired me to pick up a camera… and that’s how my love for photography started… I was able to show what and how I perceive things to create a better understanding of my aesthetic and what goes on in my mind. Then on August 2016, I relaunched Weriza … And I guess, that was that.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Honestly? No. You know that saying “Success does not happen overnight?”… It’s true, nothing happens overnight.
I let my designs/work ethic speak volume, and also, I network, connected, and nurtured business relationships to build a solid foundation… And two years later, I can finally say that I’m barely reaching solid ground.
But besides that… balancing my Mental Health and fighting through depression was the biggest and most crucial challenge I had/have.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Weriza.co – what should we know?
I’m the founder and creative director of Weriza.co.
A San Diego-based brand that was as created to innovate and provide affordable, ready-to-wear, timeless products, break boundaries between traditional and modern lifestyle, and to encourage perseverance through Design, Photography, and soon, a Lifestyle blog.
I think what sets it apart from others is that it isn’t categorized into one thing nor it’s trying to compete with others… It’s a platform where the focus is to freely create, inspire others, and represent where I came from.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think being persistent… persevering through all the ups and downs, being authentic, and not forcing anything to people, but rather letting who I am and my work speaks volume.
Contact Info:
- Website: WERIZA.CO
- Email: info@weriza.co
- Instagram: @Weriza.co
- Twitter: @werizaco
Image Credit:
Anthony Quisay and Kevin Gonzalez
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