Meet Ayana:

24-year-old Ayana Jimenez was born and raised in the Philippines, but she moved to Seattle, WA last summer. I met her at Coachella Weekend 2, and her style was too good not to capture. Two out of three of her outfits were original creations – she’s in the process of creating her own clothing line! Ayana loves to travel, dance and take photos. She was most excited to see Bon Iver at Coachella. Her dream job would be a professional dancer. In ten years, Ayana hopes to be “settled in,” hopefully by the beach.

How would you describe your style?

My style usually goes with how I feel. It could go from bohemian to sexy, girly to preppy, casual to elegant. Mixing and matching color palettes is my favorite thing to play with.

What inspires, or influences, your style?

I get inspired by my surroundings – color palettes of buildings, landmarks, sunsets, trees, deserts, skies, etc. Some [of my styles] are influenced by past fashion trends.

How did you decide that you wanted to start a clothing line?

I simply wanted to create clothes that inspire the free spirit – something that could work for everyone.

How would you describe your line? What kind of pieces are you hoping to put out?

I don’t have a line at the moment. [My cousin and I] are in the process of experimenting, and hopefully we’ll slowly put it out when we’re ready. For the line of dresses, we were thinking of something that has a gypsy, island girl feel to it, with subtle, elegant cuts or slits here and there. We want a lot of looks that tie around the body and waist, so it can work freely for anyone. My cousin, Alexis Jimenez, is currently working on a collection of sexy and elegant robes.

What has been the hardest thing about this process? What has been the most fun?

It’s a challenge to find the right fabrics and patterns. The fun part is seeing the actual product come to life.

Where do you see your clothing line going?

We could see it starting out online, and then moving into boutiques. Hopefully, we’ll be partnering with brands in the future.

What’s your favorite current trend?

Tattered jeans and denim. I love seeing sneakers!

Featured Image by Alexis Jimenez.