A sweeping pandemic has put a mask on everyone’s face in 2020. Face-coverings becoming the new norm has also sparked creativity in the fashion industry. Sonia Smith-Kang, a critical care nurse turned fashion designer, creates art masks for people to express and proudly show off their cultures. 

Smith-Kang is the founder of Mixed Up Clothing, a clothing line focused on diversity and inclusion. Like her other apparel, her masks are designed with cultural element prints and made with fabrics ethically sourced from around the world. 

Piling through her mask collections, you can see prints representing many cultures—silhouettes of kimonos in different vibrant colors, white hibiscus flowers against a mint blue base, colorful Japanese kokeshi dolls on a black background, and other prints. Smith-Kang wants everyone to find a mask that represents their identities.

When sourcing fabrics, it is important for Smith-Kang to understand the fabrics as well as the people who make the fabrics. Smith-Kand said that she draws on her multicultural heritage and her diverse team at Mixed Up Clothing. For her, it all comes down to mindfulness and respect for cultures. 

The fabric masks also have elastic ear-loops, an adjustable nose wire, and a pouch in the back to insert a HEPA filter—Smith-Kang took advantage of her medical background while designing them. The masks are fully cotton woven for them to be breathable and withstand laundering. For every mask a customer buys, the brand donates one for people in need. So far, they have donated over a thousand face masks to the vulnerable populations. 

Smith-Kang’s passion for culture derived from her own background. Born in Puerto Rico to an African American father and a Mexican mother, Smith-Kang spent most of her childhood in Hawaii before moving to Los Angeles. Growing up, she always had a hard time relating to people around her. 

“I had curly hair, brown eyes, and a deeper skin tone – I looked so different from everyone else.” She said growing up, she never really saw anyone who looked like her, especially in the fashion industry. Her experience sparked her interest in culture and diversity from the start. 

Even when she was a critical care nurse, one of the things she always enjoyed in the hospital was discussing diversity and culture with her colleagues. She was curious to know about the relationship between health and culture, recovery rate, and race, among other things. This curiosity has turned her into an activist – she serves as the President of Multiracial Americans of Southern California, an organization that aims to advocate for the multiracial community. 

Smith-Kang started her clothing line, Mixed Up Clothing when she had children with her Korean-American husband. Her multiracial family further solidified her passion for expressing culture with her work. 

“I lived an intentional life where I wanted artwork, food, music, and books to reflect our multicultural reality,” Smith-Kang said as she talked about giving her children a more comprehensive cultural experience in their day-to-day lives.  

Smith-Kang decided to build her own brand in 2011. When the pandemic broke out, she knew from the get-go that there was going to be a shortage in protective gear. Her husband works as a critical care doctor in a local hospital in Los Angeles, which further motivated her to step up and switch gears to mask-making—even before CDC’s recommendation to wear masks and California’s mandatory face-covering order. 

Her masks have received a lot of positive feedback. Many parents also wrote in and said they loved that her masks had sizes for children. Smith-Kang said that she wanted to help kids that had anxiety wearing a mask – so the team made sure the fabrics were bright and fun.

Susan Yahiro Asklipiadis is one of her buyers who decided to use her mask to make a statement about racism. “I’m proud of my Asian heritage and picked a Japanese pattern despite the current acts of hatred happening to Asian Americans,” she said. “ My fabric choice reflects my action to not back down.”

Smith-Kang is also a part of a project called Sewing Circle, hosted by the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Over the course of this project, 18 artists, artisans, and museum staff members sewed 1,500 masks for local organizations in need. 

She hopes that during the anxiety-inducing pandemic, her masks can bring comfort to people. “For a lot of us, culture brings us a sense of security.” Smith-Kang said, “We want people to carry that sense of security in a physical mask.” 

Smith-Kang said the pandemic has also shifted the fashion industry in a palpable way. According to Vogue Business, from big department stores to small design businesses, millions of jobs were lost and many are struggling to keep their necks above water. Uniqlo, Old Navy, Outdoor Voices, American Eagle along with many other brands have also started making fabric masks. 

Smith-Kang thinks this shift is a good opportunity for entrepreneurs to be more creative and inclusive. “The key is to genuinely listen to what people from different cultures have to say,” she said. 

Edited by Demi Vitkute.

The post LA Designer Sonia Smith-Kang On Making Masks for Everyone’s Identity appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

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Amid the live-streaming revolution during the Covid-19 pandemic, art curator & entrepreneur Marina Dojchinov is presenting The Zero Experiment – an interactive, virtual gallery experience. Every Thursday, viewers will be able to attend a virtual gallery opening via video conferencing platform Zoom and talk to the featured artist. The art pieces will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to a different charity each week. This Thursday, April 16, the first artist to present his work is Pierre Fraiture and the money raised will go to Broadway Bound Kids, a performing arts education organization based in Manhattan that was affected by the virus. 

We caught up with Marina about the project, her career, and life during the coronavirus.

How did you decide to start this project? 

The Zero Experiment actually started last year. I wanted to create a roaming gallery concept, with a speakeasy vibe so I gathered influencers for a dinner party and showcased two amazing artists: Kenna Kendig and Udo Spreitzenbarth. The concept slowly evolved and when this epidemic hit, I wanted to find a way to keep the art community connected. Since the lockdown, many of my friends in the art world are struggling to keep afloat and don’t know where their next meal is coming from. I found a way to connect artists and keep the tradition of Thursday night openings in a fully immersive & virtual way. I added the “human touch” to an otherwise bland online experience by allowing the artists and audience to interact with each other and ask questions.

I also wanted to support charities and businesses that are losing income and struggling to stay afloat. I am encouraging the artists to choose a charity they like each week. So far I am proud to say we are helping a performing arts education organization Broadway Bound Kids and LGBTQIA homeless non-profit New Alternatives. 

I love the feeling of giving back to the community and this is my way of saying–stay positive, we got this!  

How and why did you decide to have Pierre Fraiture as the first artist for this Thursday?

I met Pierre six months ago at his studio in Tribeca and his work really spoke to me. I believe the charity and community aspects are a great fit for Pierre’s mission. I thought it would be a great way to introduce people to our brand and showcase the level of talent all our artists bring to the table. We want to show potential participants that no matter a crisis, art is needed in our lives. 

You were born in Croatia and grew up in Australia. Tell me more about yourself. 

I’ve been entrepreneurial since I was a child. Having grown up in so many different countries, my world view has constantly evolved. I started my career as a fashion editor while studying to get a double degree in Law & Journalism. My work as a fashion journalist took me all over the world–from Australia to London, Spain, and finally, New York, where I was the editor of Promo Magazine. 

What inspired you to move to NYC? Is it your favorite city in the world? 

New York has always been a dream of mine. I remember being 6 years old growing up in the small town of Alice Springs, in the Australian outback, having a poster of New York on my wall. I would tell anyone who would listen that I would one day live there and be a fashion editor. I made that dream come true and as soon as I touched down in New York, I knew I was home. I love the culture, the people and the fact that you can be whoever you want here. You can evolve and change and NYC embraces that. When I made the jump from fashion to art, I found I had great support from friends here, many of whom have since become like family. 

Can you describe the moment when you discovered your passion for art and decided to make it your full-time job?

I’ve been enamored by art my entire life. The moment I realized I wanted to make the switch from fashion was after I curated a charity auction with multiple artists and performers. Six months later the opportunity presented itself to open a brick and mortar gallery in Manhattan. I decided to take a leap of faith and opened 3Squared Gallery in Chelsea. I curated all the shows, and the gallery was a launching pad for many artists here in the U.S. I can’t see myself doing anything else! 

Since then I have guest lectured about art philosophy and turning art into a business at many universities, including at Parsons School of Design and Columbia. 

I took everything I knew and put it into practice in The Zero Experiment. Combining my love for charity (I sit on the board of numerous charities here in NY), I wanted to create a community of creatives who are making a difference in the world.

What has been your biggest challenge so far living in the U.S.? 

Being so far away from my family who are still in Australia. I miss my parents and my brother a lot. We try and see each other as much as possible, but often holidays are spent over FaceTime. That has been my biggest challenge so far. 

We are living in a difficult time right now, how are you feeling? How has coronavirus affected you and your job personally?

Honestly, I am feeling optimistic because, at the end of the day, everything as we know it will change and better things are yet to come. This is the best time to be an entrepreneur because you can really make a difference in the world by helping the community and finding unique and innovative ways to cope with the constantly changing environment. 

What are you up to during these self-isolation days? Have you found any new daily pleasures or rediscovered old hobbies? 

The best part of this is having reconnected with a lot of old friends, all over the world. I am getting phone calls from people I haven’t spoken to for 2 years, just calling to say hi. We are all in this together, it has brought us closer as people. 

I have also rekindled my passion for painting and I enjoy drinking coffee and playing with my two cats.

Any words of encouragement to other artists and entrepreneurs who might be struggling right now?

Create! The time is now more crucial for all of us: artists, musicians and everyone in between. It’s a new beginning so let your voices be heard! Also never give up and never take no for an answer. If you really believe in something, don’t let anyone disparage you. And finally, things will get better, so keep your chin up! 

What’s your ultimate dream/goal? 

To build a world empire, of course!

The post Bored in the House? Attend a Virtual Art Gallery Opening appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.