The subject of our Fashion Spotlight is Harlem, NY based, Whitney Mero. Whitney is the owner of fashion label, Onion Cut & Sewn. Let’s find out what she has to say about her personal style and her creations.
SB: When and why did you start Onion Cut & Sewn?
WM: There’s a respectable and a messy version. I’ll go respectable. The messy version has to be told in person in the presence of adult beverages. I was a teenager with a body that my parents found confusing. This resulted in them dressing me in the ugliest, unflattering clothes.
So, I made my own, starting with deconstructing and recreating garments. This lead to making some very interesting prom dresses for the girls in my school. A boyfriend at the time encouraged me to turn it into a business, which I did even though I had no idea what that meant for me.
SB: What inspires your creations?
WM: Beauty and comfort. This clearly a question that I’ve not been able to articulate an answer for because there is
so much and so little inspiration, it make my brain numb.
SB: Creatives aren’t always good business owners. How do you balance the two roles?
WM: I don’t know that I am good at business. I’m in business because I am good at perseverance. If you want to remain in business, you’ll hire the people necessary for disparate roles.
For example, hire a good accountant to keep you out of jail. Hire a a decent personal assistant to keep you from having to talk to strangers and occasionally, your mother.
Hire a capable office manager that works out to keep track of your inventory and pick out stuff that you can’t because
you lack core strength.
Even if you think you cannot afford these hires, eventually, having a team frees you up to be creative, which is usually the main job.
SB: What piece have you made that you are most proud of and why?
WM: In college, I had a client that, due to Crohn’s disease, wore a colostomy bag. She was still very young and wanted to dress fast at the club so I designed for her a series of dresses that were both revealing and effective at hiding her bag. I don’t actually know if this makes me the most proud.
There are so many lovely and surprising things that have happened to a lot of beautiful people in my dresses that I count myself lucky enough to know have a most superlative piece.
SB: How would you describe your personal style?
WM: Fuck effort. My personal style goal is to look amazing with the least energy or strain possible.
