Alyson Fox- No Small Talent

Posted by Elana Katz | 0 comments

In Sociology, there is a term known as “the master status” used to describe the highest status a personcarry with them wherever they are, such as an occupation. One person’s master status may be “doctor,” while another’s may be “teacher”. However, what happens when a person is so talented that a master status seems to be an endless list of creative talents? This is the one problem Alyson Fox has, trying to clarify what exactly she should be called.  A jewelry designer, clothing designer, photographer, an illustrator, sculptor, and textile designer, Fox is the woman who does it all. Above anything, though, she is an artist, and a talented one at that.  Fashionably Late recently had the pleasure of speaking with Fox, and it was quickly evident that her lovely creations  come directly from within.

There is something exceptionally alluring about a woman with passion. Instead of going down a single path, Fox has expanded on all of her talents. She discovered her passion for art while in college and then went on to do visuals for Anthropologie. “It was there that I realized that I wanted to be making things for myself and started to play,” she says. Thus began her online store: a cleverly titled, A Small Collection. “I wanted to have a small limited edition line of goods to sell that could change as I change,”. Amongst a modest collection of clothing lie charming pendants and a sweet dinnerware set. Though simple at first glance, Fox’s line of jewelry is a beautiful mix of wood, leather, and chains. Inside A Small Collection one will also find that Fox is exploding with creativity. Her quirky photographs, charming illustrations, and colorful textiles grace the pages of the website as well. Light and airy, Fox’s screen-printed silk attire is proof that minimalism can be exciting and has already sold out. However, don’t start looking for more clothing anytime soon. Fox has no plans currently to expand her clothing line, describing that process as impersonal and “hard to keep up with, with clothes I have to pass my designs on to someone else to make,” unlike with jewelry. She is quick to convey her love of crafting jewelry, stating, “I love working on jewelry because it feels like sculptural work to me sitting at my desk. It’s about sourcing different objects to fit into something you can wear around your neck- I like that.” For those who find this news disappointing, have no fear as she doesn’t knock the idea completely. For now, though, Fox simply enjoys taking photos of fashion and wearing it. She describes her personal style as “masculine, not too feminine. It’s always changing, but right now I’ve been wearing a lot of pants and mixing patterns with solids. I mix a lot of thrifted pieces with some designer items; I love to hunt for thrift.”

After debuting on popular blog DesignSponge and in Domino Magazine for her artwork, 31-year old Fox has since been making a name for herself. Her hard work and persistence have garnered her recognition in none other than The New York Times and a large internet following since. Despite said success, she remains humble, laughing off the question of how she was discovered with a, “Ha! I’m not discovered, trust me”. For someone who has yet to be discovered, Fox is quickly gathering up work. Fox’s latest project is a collaboration with Verabel Jewelry. Verabel has transferred some of Fox’s most inspiring artwork onto vintage lockets, creating a stunning line sold on Etsy.com. Prices have already gone up from $48 to $54, a number largely due to the average of 120 sales a week at this point. This reaction has Fox exceptionally excited, saying that there has been “a crazy response, they’re in great demand.” She explains that this growing fan base has given her and Verabel creator, Leann Molinari, the confidence to further collaborate. The duo plan to work together on more pieces soon, including bracelets, pendants, earrings, and more. Along with many others, Fox is “curious to see where it goes.”

Even aside from future collaborations with Verabel, Fox has her hands full. First up, she has a new jewelry line titled “Shapes and Colors” due out this month. The line will be a small collection of fine art pieces inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, and will only have about 12 to 14 editions of each piece. Fox seems confident that this line is something special, citing her materials as “vintage beads from Germany mixed with wood.” It will mostly consist of ovals and squares (hence the name) in an array of color palettes, and feature woven cording.

When asked if there is ever a time when all of this gets to be too much, Fox replied, “Yes, I bit off a bit more than I can chew. I usually try to take on one project at a time, but I’m doing about four different things at the moment.” These four things include a line of wallpaper, fabrics, designing a boot, and a book. While Fox declined to offer up too much information about the book, she did let on that it will feature her photography and is due out in February.

Throughout all of the many projects, however, Fox has a supportive husband to keep her sane. The young couple resides in Austin, Texas, which Fox describes as being “really supportive of the arts.” Of her husband, who comes from an art history background, Fox has nothing but praise to sing about him and credits their marriage as a positive influence on her work. The two are currently building a house on recently bought land.

Alyson Fox is slowly but surely making quite the name for herself, and there is only more success to come. As for her future goals, Fox proudly states that ever since college she would “love to be in an art history book one day. For now, I hope to keep doing work that is challenging, have others want to work with me, and stay positive.”  With so much talent in one person, it would not come as a surprise if A Small Collection is only small for a short while longer.

Alysonfox.com

Asmallcollection.com