Meet your latest reality TV winner. On Monday, May 27, Jessica Rowell took home the grand prize in the finale of Julia Fox's competition series. OMG Fashun.
Tasked with repurposing three of Fox's most infamous paparazzi sets in a redemption challenge from three previous contestants, Rowell ultimately came out on top, winning a $10,000 cash prize, a photo shoot with Fox in the winning look and a feature a NYLON.
Rowell is a self-taught designer who has been working in her craft for over a decade. Focusing on sustainable fashion, using certified organic eco-textiles of ethical origin and natural dyes of vegetable origin. Here, read on to learn more about the rising designer.
Going back, how and why did you start designing?
I started designing when I was quite young; Elementary school was when I started learning to sew. I was part of a small sewing club. When I was in middle school and high school, I started really experimenting with my self-expression and altering my own clothes, and my mom started teaching me more technical elements. So that's where it all started and started to blossom through my own personal expression and fashion. I really got into cosplay at one point and was making fantasy costumes and stuff for me and my friends, and that evolved into where my work is today.
I'm also completely self-taught, I've never had professional training, so it's been a lifetime of trial and error and experiences that have gotten my work to where it is today.
How did you land on the design philosophy you have today?
Honestly, I think it's just been an evolution. I think I've gone through so many different phases of who I am as a person and what my fashion and brand is like. But I think what has really brought my work together is my style. I have a very distinctive style where people, at least in my experience, have been able to recognize my work, even when I'm working in different genres, which I think is great because it's given me the freedom to explore different topics and concepts. without losing the essence of what my work is.
How would you describe this essence?
The main thing is that everything is edgy, a little fantasy, and I love to tell stories. I like my pieces to have meaning or symbolism.
How do you want people wearing your clothes to feel?
empowered I've been on many sets where you can literally see the transformation when you adorn someone in your work. So just that feeling of being empowered or feeling strong.
Do you think about who you are designing for when you start something new?
It's so random. I draw a lot from my surroundings and the way my pieces start are different. They all have their own origin story. It could be a notion. If I find a cool trinket and say, “What could this be?” I could start there. I've made head pieces out of little toy guns. I made a barbie headdress. I've done all kinds of things that are really aligned with a lot of the themes and concepts that Julia did on the show.
Drawing from my surroundings and my personal experience are probably the two main things that drive me when I'm creating. And as for the person, I don't know if I have anyone in particular in mind. I am designing for whoever is meant to embody this aspect. So if they feel it and resonate with it, then that's who will carry it.
When you designed for Julia Fox on Challenges, did you feel a connection to your vision and her styles?
The concept of the show aligned me. I've done castings before for other shows and I didn't think I was the right person. I was too outside the box. The way this show was structured and the concepts and who Julia was really aligned with my work. And I personally needed a miracle at that time too. So everything, I think everything happened as it should.
Did you change your design method based on using Julia as your muse?
There are a lot of pieces in my archive that I would already wear, and it was a balance because I still wanted to have my signature. I still wanted to maintain my aesthetic. I still wanted to have the narrative and all the elements that were true to me, but I also needed to frame my piece around her aesthetic and her brand and who she is as a person and find some balance and harmony between the two of us . This was a challenge. Not in a difficult way, but just by respecting both of us and including both of us in working with her as a muse. So it was really me juggling these energies, part of me and part of her, and it comes together and makes a great harmonic piece.
How has your work and business changed since the show?
It definitely helped me [financially] in my life, especially being in a really difficult position with my life circumstances. As for leaving the show, it seems a bit early, I'm still doing what I usually do and luckily I have very good connections and relationships. So I've worked on a few celebrity projects before the show came out, and it's been great to watch and see how it all unfolds.
Who is your dream client?
My number one is Björk. I have a whole manifesto board of people I want to work with, but Björk is the best. I also really love Tilda Swinton. I would love to design for her or have her wear one of my pieces. I'm also a huge Celine Dion fan. There are a lot of people, but Björk is my vibe. She is very strange and eccentric just like me. If I could work with Björk, I would die happy.
You can catch up with the above OMG Fashun episodes streaming now on Peacock.
