Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashanti Altovese Griffin.
Ashanti Altovese, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began fashion design during my freshman year in high school with my first ever sewing machine class. I learned to make my own clothes such as vests, skirts, and dresses. I was also participating in art classes at the same time and learned painting, drawing, airbrushing, as well as computer digital art design and Photoshop techniques. This led me on the path to designing t-shirts during my studies at Thornwood High School and in college at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Once I began working as a chemical engineer, after hours, I would enjoy Latin dance activities and would make costumes for performances and competitions. I really enjoyed seeing my creations come to life on the dance floor and on stage. Later, I started to compete in fitness and bodybuilding competitions and decided to make my own bikinis. For fun, I decided to design club and formal gowns that matched the bikinis I made. I opened up my designs for women at Ballroom dancing events and fitness expos. Next I started working with clients in pageants, TV personalities, and VIP red carpet events. I now work with the San Francisco Bay Area fashion scene as a featured designer during their 2017 San Francisco Fashion Week and a founding member of the Fashion Council San Francisco non-for-profit organization.
Great, 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?
The road to becoming a fashion designer has been fun and challenging. My focus for many years was on creating the designs with everything I made being hand sewn. I would wear my designs out to events and would get feedback on my work from supporting friends and family. It took me many years before I finally decided to sell my creations and I started first on sites like EBay and Craigslist. I needed to learn the business of fashion and learn how to sell and potentially open up a store. I first worked on creating a brand and did so with a fragrance line called Danscents, scents that had names that celebrated different dances. I used that product for sales, promotion, gifts, and business learning. Everything I created I did with my own funds out-of-pocket. I decided to start learning how to obtain business funding and attended seminars, workshops, and networking events. Most notably, I obtained fashion and business mentors from the SCORE organization that guided me in my efforts and that decision has allowed me to go further than ever before. Fashion and fragrance are competitive markets with many players who have more resources than myself as a sole proprietor. But I feel great that I am embarking on the journey to becoming a nationally recognized brand.
Ashanti Altovese – The Academy for the Aesthetic Arts – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Ashanti Altovese – The Academy for the Aesthetic Arts is an online fashion store that promotes women’s fashion for the “Fitness Faithful”. We retail original one-of-a-kind handmade dresses, bikinis, hand-painted t-shirts, and mini-spray fragrance. The dresses are for club and formal wear and are made with stretch fabrics to fit women of all sizes. Ashanti Altovese promotes the fitness lifestyle through her brand and encourages women to feel empowered in their lives by focusing on health. Our site features women who embody the fitness lifestyle with a blog called “Fitness Faithful” where women from various backgrounds share their story of fitness inspiration.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
So far, the proudest moment of my fashion design career has been being featured by SF News Feed US media, the Diva Talk Tonight and The Health Beat television programs regarding my unique brand. My goal is to bring fitness to the forefront of women’s healthy living through fashion design. I am happy to see that after all these years of creating, the business side of my fashion career is getting some recognition and reaching new people.
Pricing:
- Fitness Faithful Mini-Spray $20.00
- Fitness Faithful T-shirt $25.00
- Convertible Dress (Formal to Club) $250.00
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.ashantialtovese.com
- Phone: 510-298-2529
- Email: info@ashantialtovese.com
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AshantiAltovese
Image Credit:
James Brownstone and Tim Reynolds
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
