My work is about me learning to accept my crazy, unpredictable nature and finding the great side of my inconsistency. For years I have been trying to find myself, figure out who Shaunatia is and why I think and do the things that I do. I searched within myself for my truths and allowed those close to me to give input on their perceptions of me.  In doing this, I came across a concept that resonated with the contradictory nature of who I am.  A paradox, by definition, is a person, thing or situation exhibiting an apparent contradictory nature.  For the first time I had found a meaning and name for what I considered my “crazy”.  Often times I find myself being self-contradictory, inconsistent and hard to understand. I took traits specific to my horoscope which coincidently coincided with the definition of paradox.  As a Scorpio, we are the most misunderstood and are often times contradictory. It was interesting and exciting to see the development of the research I was doing come together to develop a concept that, one, helped me better understand myself and two, help me to start developing a concept for my brand. I learned to embrace my crazy and the fact that I may never truly understand myself and that I am: intense, I act on my emotions and that makes me very inconsistent and nearly impossible to be able to predict what may come next.

Through my work I design using the advantage of being a paradox. What I thought as being crazy or a bad flaw helps me creatively, designing things that are always new, fresh and different.  It allows me to express my different emotions and personalities. I consider my different personalities fashion personas. I design for those who are confident in being different, for those who love inconsistency and do not feel obligated to stick with one aesthetic and for those who despise routine and live for “what’s new”.  My hope is for others to feel what I feel through my work; which is accepting your flaws, accepting yourself and realizing whatever it is that make you different is what makes you fashionable. Use your flaws as inspiration for how you express yourself through clothing. Wear them through it, wear them proudly.

Interview

What inspired the name Seón Wine?

Well, [laughs] it’s sort of a long story but I’ll try my best to keep it short. My name is Shaunatia (pron. Sean-nah-Tia) Wine. To me, Shaunatia can be a mouthful to say and doesn’t properly portray the concept of my brand. While toying around with different ideas in my Business of Fashion class, I looked inward for inspiration. I’ve come to describe myself as a paradox; taking into consideration the masculine and feminine qualities that I possess, I wanted my clothing to represent this nature as well. I then decided to shorten my full name ‘Shaunatia’ to ‘Sean’ (incorporating the masculine) in conjunction with my last name ‘Wine’ (incorporating the feminine).  I initially had ‘Sean’ spelt in its native pronunciation, originating from its Irish derivative; however, after further research I stumbled upon ‘Seón.’  Korean in modern use, it can be traced to its Hebrew origin; meaning: charismatic, warm, devoted and passionate. Another meaning for it is ‘intensity.’ During my research process I started to realize that everything was falling into place and that I was truly finding out who I am as a person. 

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as eclectic. I don’t stick to one set aesthetic. I can dress like it’s the 90’s one day to dressing myself up like the women of Golden Girls. I can easily go from urban to girly depending on my mood. I am somewhat an emotional dresser and it’s become an obsession for me. Deliberating on the color, fabric, style and period of the material. My style may seem all over the place to others but to me it goes back to my being a paradox: a walking contradiction. I read into astrology quite a bit and relate that sometimes hectic and contradictory aspects of my personality to my being a Scorpio [laughs]. 

What is your creative process when designing?

I don’t necessarily have a set method in my creative process. As an artist, I am constantly inspired by the people and situations around me. My mind is always rampant with ideas. I can detect minute details, like the ridges on a leaf and be instantly inspired to make a design or a piece from that. I can be influenced by a story that someone is telling me and consequently compile an entire collection off that vehicle alone. Be it an emotion or gut feeling about something am I going through, I use that. I use my design to tell a story. 

Where are you from? Where do you intend to go?

I am from Charleston South Carolina. To be honest, [laughs] I don’t have a clear idea where I’ll be or where I’ll go from this moment. Right now my focus is on finishing my last year of college with a strong collection and perhaps working under the tutelage of someone to learn the game. Possibly having a line of my very own one day. As of right now though, I want to continue learning and enjoying the present. 

What inspired this collection?

South Carolina and our Gullah heritage heavily inspired me for this collection.  Over the summer I kept a journal, disposable camera and the video camera on my phone. I took photos at one of the plantations in Charleston.  South Carolina is known for preserving the beauty and historical significance of the plantations.  From the gray moss hanging from the big oak trees, the burn marks on those trees to the minimal handmade furniture in the slave homes and the elaborate decoration of the slave masters home. I enjoyed seeing the balance of ugly and pretty and the story of the journey of the slaves. 

I documented my feelings and thoughts in relation to different aspects of the history of my city, family and ethnic background.  I partook in my granny’s traditional southern cooking, had conversations with the older members of my home church, I got to visit the church where the slaying of the Charleston 9 took place, which consequently happens to be the church that my granddad attends.  I got the opportunity to really absorb and develop a concept from things I’ve been around my entire life.  Small things like the usher board on a Sunday morning in their uniforms and gloves, the red, wool-like church pews and the old, tattered bibles passed down from generation to generation.  I took that time to attempt to get an understanding of myself, the struggles I’ve been facing and to just enjoy my family.

What do you mean when you say gullah heritage?

The Gullah are a distinctive group of African Americans whose origins lie along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. Due to their geographic location and strong sense of community, the Gullah have been able to preserve more of their African cultural heritage than any other group of African Americans: they speak a creole language similar to the Krio of Sierra Leone, are skilled in the creation of African style handicrafts and enjoy a rich cuisine based primarily on rice. The origin and traditions of this group are an important piece of South Carolina's historical puzzle.  The lack of English cultural influence upon their lives directly assisted the creation and preservation of a distinctly African set of traditions.  tourists in South Carolina and Georgia can still bear witness to women continuing the tradition of basket making in local markets and roadsides.

What do trees symbolize for you?

Trees have a significant symbolic meaning in my life.  To me, they represent traits that are important to healthy character development such as strength, beauty, eternal life and wisdom.  Another symbol that trees represent is freedom.  Freedom is important to me because I have a longing desire to be more carefree; I spend a lot of time worrying about life and insignificant things and I long to just enjoy life and all of the beautiful things it has to offer.  The tattoo on my arm represents both the pretty and ugly of life, which is a focal point in my collection.  The tree represents the beauty of life and the people in it, while the Scorpios represent my flaws and my less than attractive traits.   

What made you cut your hair?

When I decided to embark on this journey, I decided that in order to fully commit to it I needed to face some fears.  One of my biggest fears was to not have hair; so, I decided to cut all of my hair off.  As silly as it may seem to others, hair equated to beauty in my eyes so I relied on it for a boost in confidence.  My hair was a shield for me to hide behind but in order for me to get to the level of vulnerability I needed to develop this collection I needed to face that fear.  Cutting my hair allowed me to be open; it forced me to become comfortable with my flaws because I had no way of hiding them.  This journey helped me to be content in my natural state, allowing all of you to see me, flaws and all, take on this journey.

How long have you been designing?

I’d say I’ve been designing since I was around the age of 6. I’ve always been drawn to art and anything creative. So I guess you could say I’ve been designing since the day I started drawing.

What was your first piece?

The first piece that I fully designed; i.e. making the patterns, cutting and sewing the entire garment, was a dress I made for my draping class. It was inspired by the mini dress of the 60’s but with a modern-esque/urban feel to it.

What would you like people to know about you?

I would love for them to be able to join me on my journey, and witness the development of my brand. I would love for them to experience my story through my designs. I believe the arts are powerful. They can bring different walks of life, from diverse upbringings and varied belief systems together under the common thread of creation. 

Editors: C. Rose Smith, D'Atra Rankins, and Toya Ejike