Being creative has gotten muddy in the past few years. I love Lady Gaga, but one sentiment of hers has always rubbed me the wrong way. She argues that true artists write their own music, and singers and rappers who don’t write their own songs but perform the lyrics written by others are simply singing “karaoke for pretty girls.” 

Arguing that performers who only sing and look great on camera but don’t write aren’t artists discounts those who, in all honesty, can’t write for their life but can sing like nobody else. 

Maybe she isn’t talking about those with incredible star power, but it made me think about how this sentiment translates in fashion. I immediately thought about how only true fashion devotees — as annoying as it may be — refer to favorite collections by the creative director, such as “Raf Simons Dior” or “Tom Ford for YSL,” making sure to emphasize the creative rather than the label. 

As such, in near agreement with Gaga’s sentiments, not crediting the creative behind the execution of the vision only seems to perpetuate the idea that true artists are those who build and execute themselves under their own name, like Jeremy Scott for Jeremy Scott. 

I wanted to investigate what it truly means to be creative in every layer, and felt that the only way I could do so was to hear from some of the truly talented creatives in my life.

Going layer by layer, we start this journey with someone who has successfully executed their own vision: Maddie West, the creator of New York-based upcycled clothing brand, Sloppy Seconds.

When she started reselling vintage grails she found in her hometown of Spokane, Washington, West quickly realized she wasn’t getting much bang for her buck. Still loving the vintage selling space, she focused on her side hobby of upcycling while finishing graduate school at NYU and working at UNICEF. 

“I kind of pivoted and realized maybe I should go full steam ahead,” West said. “I’m doing it full time, just trying to scale the brand as much as I can.”

West learned to sew at a young age, and her character shines through with her interest in transforming traditionally masculine garments. Now, her website offers a variety of garments from fur-lined military jackets to wine bottle bags made out of sleeves to ruche-waisted button downs. With faith in herself and her vision, West’s success has only continued to skyrocket, as she begins to taste the beginning of “pinch me” moments. 

“I’m having a lot of them more and more recently, which is really fun,” West said. “I recently started doing wholesale … and I got an order from Free People, which was so exciting for me.” 

Wardrobe assistant Miriam Ruvalcaba lives on the opposite side of the country and does the opposite of West: She makes others’ visions come true.

We first met four years ago, working together at Nordstrom. Now, Ruvalcaba has worked for brands like AG Jeans and House of CB as well as top celebrities like Marshmello and Meghan Trainor. Despite passionately studying fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Ruvalcaba’s job isn’t as fun as it may always seem. 

“A lot of people think it’s a very glamorous job, so you’re just shopping for clothes, but it’s the prepping of it all … like driving around all of [Los Angeles] to different showrooms to pull specific outfits or depending on the project, you need custom pieces,” Ruvalcaba said. “If you don’t have enough time to source for that, you have to figure it out.” 

Still learning to balance her own stylistic flair, Ruvalcaba focuses on learning as much as she can on her various projects, even if the task doesn’t have to do with fashion. 

“It’s basically an accounting job,” Ruvalcaba said. “We had a 1000-page stack of just invoicing and receipts. Trying to figure out how to make the budget work, that was hard for sure.” 

Right now, though, she’s learning to balance and separate herself as Miriam the assistant and Miriam the stylist. While building up her own clientele, she advises anyone interested in styling to network, network, network. 

“It took me less than a year assisting a stylist to go on a tour [with Trainor],” Ruvalcaba said. “Just hustle.” 

But what about those who create to fulfill themselves and others at the same time? Meet Techin “Sim” Khurukitwanit, an artist, creator and one of my dearest friends. 

His personal art is under his handle, MillerScottie, or MLSC for short. Experimenting with digital art, painting and figurines, his work reflects the exploration of the relationship between traditional arts and symbolism.

Recently, he’s been collaborating with a group of other creatives under their collective, Wholesome Era. Having exhibited in three separate galleries in the last year alone, the artists celebrate and foster exploration of mediums and artistic journey.

“We’re a collective family of creatives that aim to create a sanctuary for art — a space for art without alienation … becom[ing] a space where art can exist through conversation and art making can be a process where it sanctions human culture in a digitalized world,” Khurukitwanit said.

Khurukitwanit’s work and talent has been picked up by some of the biggest names in entertainment and business. In merch creation or album art, his work has been contracted by names like A$AP Ferg, Chief Keef, adidas, North Face and Red Bull. 

He doesn’t do work for commission or connections, wanting to stay true to his dedication to art. 

“I don’t just take things to make sure I get bread. Sometimes I don’t get money and I’d be starving a little bit, but at the same time, I know I’m making something that I understand,” Khurukitwanit said. “They see me in the same way, where they trust in my vision and my craft.” 

His balance of creating for others and MLSC will always lie in commonality. Not in work for work or to have fun and mess around, but rather from the deep root of passion, dedication and purpose.

“It’s like my professor would tell [me] a lot,” Sim said, “the two things that you will die with are your words and your work.” 

Maybe we take a little bit of each of West, Ruvalcaba and Khurukitwanit with us. It is undeniable that the foundation of success, by any definition, is passion.

I remember at the start of the women’s volleyball season, Head Coach Brad Keller gave the team a quote that’s stuck with me throughout the year. I hope you can see why, especially after this article: “You have to be crazy enough to think that it’s possible.”

And if you just aren’t sure yet, I’ll believe in you for you. 

Hadyn Phillips is a senior writing about fashion in the 21st century, spotlighting new trends and popular controversy in her column, “That’s Fashion, Sweetie,” which runs every Wednesday.