Today we’d like to introduce you to Iliana Quander.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
i was born in the bronx (ny) and raised in washington, d.c. i went to college in atlanta, ga and returned to dc after some years. i was in dc for about 5 years before i shifted to ny to learn fashion. i wanted to be in a place that challenged me bc it seemed i wasn’t growing the way i needed to as an artist in dc. i was in ny almost 17 years before i found my way to baltimore to experience a thriving arts community and to be closer to my family in dc.
my journey in art began with my mother, a painter who studied at pratt, art students’ league and at nyu in the 60’s. i was peaking over her shoulder my entire childhood and she had stacks of coffee table books of what is deemed as “all the old master’s” my favorite was always salvador dalí. we never agreed as far as tastes (surrealism wasn’t her thing) but according to her, he was ok to like because his representational art was good, LoL. my relationship with my mom inside the context of art is responsible for my ability to be both confident and to keep challenging myself to experiment and to do different things and expand.
the way i have found myself in art and fashion (or the art of fashion, if you will) is a unique journey. self-taught for the most part yet still having very many evolved and compelling teachers along the way.
Alright, 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?
there have been many challenges. the biggest was that after i had just moved to ny from dc in the early 2000’s to hit the ground running with my work and try to grow and expand, almost immediately i got pregnant. i was 32 and termination was not an option for me. it was an available choice but i did not feel i could do that. i had my daughter and there’s never been any regrets except that i wasn’t fully prepared mentally or emotionally to be a mom. i do feel that the situation made it so that i had to find ways to stay engaged in my work while being a mom. in a way, i do feel that the birth of my daughter made things feel a little more serious and, who knows, i may not otherwise done as much as i ended up doing while in ny. i’ve always thought that.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
i create one-of-a-kind and custom clothing for women for the most part. what has been cited repeatedly as a strength is my ability to juxtapose fabrics that look like they do not belong and make them appear as if they do. i believe myself to have a touch of synesthesia. the materials, colors and shapes all have personalities/characters/archetypes and i just arrange them in a way that most makes sense. i tell stories right as im creating. i believe that i’m painting in the way my mom did when used to watch my mom but just with ideas and fabric. what sets me apart from others? i believe that is for others to decide.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
music is important when i’m working. i mostly listen to traditional music of the caribbean and of the diaspora. bomba y plena, dominican palos, rhumba, tambores, cumbia etc. not the contemporary stuff. i prefer the traditional sounds. that is the greatest influence on my work whether people can see it or not.
sometimes i listen to podcasts or lectures. i love books but unfortunately i haven’t really read in awhile. favorite books (in no particular order) the i ching, the prophet, by khalil gibran, spurs nietzsche’s styles by jacques derrida, vitamins and minerals from A to Z by dr. jewel pookram.
lectures i’ve been listening to lately is anything by terrence mckenna…… there’s really a lot more…..too much to name. i sometimes wonder if i’m really an armchair metaphysician more than an artist or clothing designer….
Pricing:
- $500- $10,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://amparo3.com
- Instagram: deaguadulce
- Facebook: iliana quander
- LinkedIn: iliana quander
- Twitter: https://x.com/ilique?s=11
