Meet Lila Zeichner | Jewelry and Fashion Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lila Zeichner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lila, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and I have always had trouble sitting still, especially in the classroom. Sewing was something that allowed me to connect to my body and focus on something that felt bigger than myself. I always loved clothing but the things I found in stores never really satisfied my need to wear things that are beautiful and comfortable. More than anything I am almost addicted to seeing my designs come to life. There really is nothing like watching something go from just an idea to a functional object in the real world. I have been super lucky to be raised by very creative people who have always supported my dreams fully so I never felt the fear of a lack of financial stability that I think draws people away from pursuing their creative interests professionally. Stable yet creative jobs certainly exist; since graduating from my associates program every job that I have had has been in a creative field. I know how lucky I am to have had that experience because I think people too often overlook the value of technical craft skills despite the fact that they have been flourishing industries and areas of expertise since the dawn of society. I pursued a creative career because it was the only thing I truly felt drawn to and inspired by, and because I felt I could use my skills to create something that could improve people’s lives.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My grandmother taught home-ecc and she taught me how to sew when I was 7. I fell in love with sewing and fashion immediately and I saw how skilled my grandmother was and I wanted to be able to make things from scratch like she could. Before I graduated high school I wanted to go to fashion school but I didn’t want to go into debt. Senior year of high school I found the Seattle Central College Apparel Design and Development program, where I learned to sew and pattern make everything from simple Hawaiian shirts to insulated ski jackets. That program really taught me what hard work meant and that no matter how difficult it was it was worth it to me if it meant I could bring my designs to life. Simultaneously I discovered my love for jewelry making after taking an intro Jewelry course with Lynne Hull at North Seattle college. I had always loved jewelry but I hadn’t really thought about how I could pursue it until I took this class. From the moment I discovered metalsmithing I felt like it was a medium that paired so well with sewing and fashion. I wanted to have the ability to make wearable pieces that were entirely bespoke. Just this past fall I was able to finally make that dream come true when I made three sets of buttons that I attached to three custom shirts I made. The buttons were all different colors that matched the color of the buttonholes which makes it easier for my older brother with down syndrome to put the right button in the right hole. These shirts were a part of a research project I did about designing for disability. In the future I hope to continue making design for disability a central part of my artistic practice and brand.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I always take my friends to the SDSU jewelry studio to show them what I am working on (it’s usually because I need to do homework and I drag them along), also because the studio really is the heart of my community and I love sharing that with people. I am from Seattle so when friends and family come it is mandatory that we go to the beach. I have become partial to mission beach after taking a surfing class at the mission bay aquatic center. Whenever I go to mission beach I have to go to Olive cafe because they have my favorite breakfast burrito.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends Fernanda Gaspar, Hana Foo, and everyone in the SDSU Jewelry Co-op there’s too many amazing people in that group to name them all.

Website: https://lilazeichner.myportfolio.com/work

Instagram: @thetaming0ftheshrew

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilazeichner/

Image Credits
Olivia Dyckman took the photos of me, and I took the photos of my jewelry myself with the help of teachers and classmates.