Reflections With Victoria Tom
In our inaugural Artisan Stories, we shine a light on Victoria Tom, a local Trinbagonian designer who breathes the vibrant spirit of island living into her creations.
Artisan Stories journeys into the realm of creators, where thoughts, hands, and hearts converge to alchemize abstract visions into practical creations that resonate deeply with all they touch. It offers a soulful glimpse into the various dimensions of their lives, unveiling how their craft brings healing and transcendence to their inner and outer world.
What does "slow fashion" mean to you on a personal level, and how does it influence your creative process and daily life?
To be quite honest, the term “slow fashion” doesn’t really mean anything to me personally. I started hearing and seeing that term more recently and find it a bit confusing. I think slow fashion came about because “fast fashion” became a thing over the past 40 years, right? Over the past 40 years, fast fashion has kind of taken over, and what we call slow fashion is actually just what it was before – the regular process before all this mass production.
To me, slow fashion is something that’s more considered. You’re not just pulling something that already exists and reproducing it; rather, you’re considering every step of the way. You’re considering the materials you’re using in the production process, and you’re considering the people that are working on it. I think it’s just important to work that way. Unfortunately, it seems unrealistic to work that way today in our fast-paced society, but it doesn’t make sense to work any other way. I also understand that with fast fashion, you have all this machinery doing all the work for you.
I like to make clothes in a considered way. I try to make things better when and where I can. It’s definitely hard at times, but it makes sense to me to work in that way.
How do you think your designs are serving your community?
Most of what I offer are things that I felt were missing from my own wardrobe – it’s always something that feels simple but super versatile and a little special. I try to stick to natural fibers where I can – that’s a personal preference. I hope that my designs offer people something they feel is missing from their wardrobe. Versatility is something I always come back to because I like having things I can wear for a lot of different occasions – so you can dress it down or dress it up.
"When I was about six, I had bright pink and bedazzled sweatsuits that I still remember today. When I was 10, I had these knee-high boots and bell-bottom jeans with fringe, and I thought they were the best things ever."
Was there a childhood experience that sparked your love for fashion?
I always remember liking clothes and color, and dressing up. I have a memory of this one pink top and pants set that was bedazzled. When I was about six, I had bright pink and bedazzled sweatsuits that I still remember today. When I was 10, I had these knee-high boots and bell-bottom jeans with fringe, and I thought they were the best things ever. I was also very into planning outfits for imaginary events. I would make up scenarios, like planning what I would wear to a party or to a place in Movie Towne. I was never consciously thinking, “I like fashion,” but I just liked clothes and dressing up, I guess. My mom really liked clothes too; she had a nice closet.
What are some of your practices for cultivating self-care?
I try to eat well, exercise, and meditate when I can. I think self-care can become obsessive, so I’ve gotten to a place where I focus on eating well, sleeping well, and exercising. However, I believe you can still be doing all those things and still not take care of yourself. I feel like doing things that make you happy and feel connected, and being around people that put you at ease, is a form of self-care. Self-care is not always as obvious as “let me do a facial.”
What are your sources of inspiration?
It’s never anything specific. People watching, places, and music all inspire me. Music not directly, but it has always been an inspiration. I like to look at art and books. At one point, I was very inspired by the 1800s! Lately, I feel like I’ve been doing too much business stuff, and it takes away from the creative space – like the creativity is just 5% of the process. I feel like I never get to be fully creative because of that. Then, I’m always taking away things because of how expensive they are to produce in Trinidad.
I’m also inspired by fabrics. Sometimes you can look at a fabric and say, “Ooh! I want this!” My favorite types of fabric to work with are natural fibers. A lot of what I use are linen and cotton. I am open to other things, but I genuinely prefer natural fibers. I am not restricted by that, though.
Can you share a specific challenge you’ve faced in your journey, and how you overcame it?
Well, the first challenge was getting the confidence to expose myself and put my work into the world because I’m such a private person. Just pumping yourself up to say, “I am going to do this, I am going to show people who I am and put this out into the world,” was hard. I overcame that during COVID when there was nothing going on. It was very much a “fuck it” moment – like, I might as well go for it now. I asked myself, “Well, what else am I going to do?” I also felt like the world was burning, and I needed to make sense of what I do. So, I said, “Whatever, I am going to go for it.” So yes, being “seen” was a challenge.
Also, financially, as a creative person, working for yourself is hard. Having to pay myself when I just want to put all the money back into the business is a very uneasy feeling. I’m not sure how you overcome that. I think it’s just something you have to balance and flow with it.
I mean it’s only gotten harder and the challenges have gotten more and more intense and it takes a lot out you-the constant problem solving and always thinking about the work- and it takes a mental, emotional and physical toll, but I try to turn off and balance whenever I feel like things are too much.
