In 5th grade, my English teacher gave my class a creative writing assignment—we could write about anything we wanted. Having developed a minor obsession with clothing that year, I wrote about my outfit. Or at least it started there; where it was from, what it looked like. But then I found myself exploring how it made me feel. How my wardrobe was a way for me to express myself without having to say a word. How the striped shirt I was wearing was once my older sister’s and how it made me feel more grown up. I talked about the family vacation I was on when I got my shoes. I’d never enjoyed a class assignment more. It set me on a path straight to fashion writing. And I never looked back.

In the decades since, I received my Master’s degree in Social Psychology of Clothing, taught Fashion Marketing at the University of California in Davis, published numerous articles in world-renowned magazines, developed brand identities for a number of startup fashion brands, collaborated with creative agencies to create powerful brand campaigns, and have worked my way up from copywriter to copy director, with a short pit stop as an art director. My well-rounded background makes me what many bosses have called a “unicorn.” Not only do I have a fierce creative sense, but I have a strong understanding of business needs along with the know-how and drive to connect the dots with efficiency and speed.