Today we’d like to introduce you to Hollis West
Hi Hollis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Hollis West, and my pronouns are they/them. I’m an artist and founder of West Praire Co. a small business I created when I moved to St. Louis, Mo. I’m originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation. My art is a love letter to the resilience of my people, the Earth, and all the creatures that inhabit it.
My work behind West Praire Co is deeply inspired by the natural world, and the need for sustainability in what we wear. Leather is a special textile because it costs an animals life. When I restore salvaged leather, I get to honor the animal it came from, and the environment by keeping it out of the land fill. Then with each piece I handpaint my original designs, or custom requests.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s not always an easy journey, but it’s one I’m happy to be on. Sometimes it can be hard getting noticed when you’re a small business owner just starting out. It can also be a challenge finding enough time in the day to do the work I feel the most passionate about. As a full time student pursuing an art education degree, while also working part-time, it can certainly get difficult planning my schedule.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At West Praire Co. I focus on sustainability in fashion and art. I restore visibly worn leather to give it a new life. Then each piece is lovingly handpainted with designs that are playful and unique, like the people who might own them one day. So not only can you buy ethically sourced leather, but you can express your fun whimsical style through my bags. When you purchase from West Prairie Co., you also receive the assurance that your wearable art can last as long as physically possible, with a lifetime repair guarantee. I hope that my mission of sustainability gets folks thinking about the life cycle of garments, and to mend/repair rather than throw away.
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