How to Unlock Creativity | Emily Westenberger | Fashion Designer


Hi everyone, it’s Emily!

Creativity is a very important aspect of my life. It’s why I started my own brand. I had a desire to create. For me creativity makes a life worth living, but not only that- I think it comes from loving life enough that you just want to add a little something more to it. 

Creativity means coming up with original thoughts. Now more than ever, we are sharing ideas, whether it's tweeting, writing, drawing, coming up with new ideas in general- whatever! We live in a culture where we want to find our voice and make an impact. 

I’m not sure where it comes from, but I think many people have been brainwashed into believing creativity is a gift and a mystery and ideas pop out of thin air. This is not true. You can create original ideas. It takes making connections, combining two things that don’t necessarily go together to create something unique. You have to seek inspiration and educate yourself. Open your mind to what’s going on around you. I did a whole video on this


As a fashion designer, I am so aware that each of us wants a voice, and I want to discuss how to do that. So let’s get started!

Creativity and Misconceptions Around It

The best kind of creativity is that which is something new and makes an improvement. To contribute and make change in society, you have to put your work out into the world. Creativity is misunderstood in that it’s not reserved for few. It’s not something you have to wish for or be scared of. It is yours for the taking whenever you want to take it. 

I was recently reading a book called “The Practice” by Seth Godin, which is a great book for creatives. He mentions that creativity is a skill, not a talent. It can be learned and refined. Creativity is about trusting yourself and exploring you can’t be too picky. 

Unlocking Creativity

It’s all about the process. What can you do right now or today to move forward with whatever you want to create. Sometimes it's repetitive drawing and sketching or writing a list of ideas. You just have to start. You have to manifest something in the world. This is the process. When you practice the process, you will have good outcomes. This isn’t a guarantee, but it CAN lead to good outcomes if you keep at it. It’s better than doing nothing and expecting everything. 

Seeking perfectionism and reassurance can kill creativity. You have to have a good attitude about the work and yourself. I think this could apply to anything you want to do but now I’m relating it to creativity. When you're creating something new, you are a leader, and when you are a leader, you have to have the right mindset. Attitudes can be practiced, just like creativity. 

A lot of people in creative work get into it because you have good taste. I found the first year or so of learning fashion design I hated everything I made. I tried so hard to make something I loved, but I hadn’t practiced the skill enough. But I could recognize it wasn’t up to my standards and that was key. My distaste for what I was making stems from my personal taste. I am still rarely 100% satisfied with what I create. I don’t ever feel 100% satisfied. 

To cure this, you have to do a huge volume of work. Give yourself deadlines every week or month so you can finish something. Eventually you will close that gap of dissatisfaction. And your work will be as good as your ambitions. 

Keep in mind that the process of practicing creativity is more interesting than the destination. I keep this in mind whenever I feel stuck. It’s comforting and I don’t know if I can explain why. I think it’s important to keep in mind artists are very generous in that they require going through a difficult process to produce something for the world. 

The takeaway from today’s video- don’t focus solely on an outcome. Focus on good processes practiced over time. You have to commit to the process. Otherwise you are living in a lottery mindset that the universe is just going to choose you to be successful in your creative ambitions. This isn't just for fashion designers but all creatives :)

Comment below if you’d like me to do more videos/blogs on creativity. Let me know if you have any questions or specific topics you’d like me to cover. Subscribe to my channel and click the bell to get notified when I upload new videos every Friday!. Thanks for watching and have a great day!

Watch the full YouTube video here:



What to watch next? 

Watch my video on Slow Fashion and Why I Believe in the Model

Designing Fashion for Different Women's Body Types: 


Designing from a Mood Board | 3 Steps to Bring Your Collection to Life 


Fashion Design in the Circular Economy

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