Meet Alayna Nieters | Constant Creator

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

Hi Alayna, what is the most important factor behind your success?

Success is a matter of personal perspective, and for Alayna Roe, it entails remaining dedicated to the creation of ethical fashion. If every piece I make can breathe new life into an unwearable garment, that’s a success. I have always tried to approach my career as a designer without taking myself too seriously. Fashion is subjective, micro-trends are never-ending and there will always be someone more prosperous or in vogue in any room you enter. I want to move beyond the culture of comparison. I have been chopping up and remaking garments since I was ten years old. My first pieces were my grandmother’s dresses I reimagined to fit my preteen style. Now, in my everyday life, I am committed to sustainability, and being a maker helps me stay sane. Combining my passions for sustainability and for making clothes led to the creation of Alayna Roe.

I started this business in my tiny home studio and each piece is still sourced and handmade by me in a corner of my studio apartment. I have measured my success by the small “hell yes’” I have throughout the design process, and the joy I bring customers through my sustainable one-of-a-kind garments. Running every aspect of a small business can feel overwhelming at times, from the Instagram posts to the organizing of photoshoots and steaming of fabrics, but every small win makes it worth it.

Working on a slow fashion cycle allows me time to mindfully source the second-hand and vintage pieces I work with. Ultimately, there is nothing more unique or luxurious than buying a piece that has been ethically resurrected and can never be replicated again. This luxury is where Alayna Roe is most successful. When you buy from a small sustainable designer you are directly supporting their vision for and execution of reducing waste in the fashion industry, which is always the ultimate goal, the main success.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Alayna Roe is a sustainable brand specializing in redesign, driven by the vision that every garment in circulation can be repaired, tailored, or reimagined to embody refreshed and contemporary wearability. Each garment is handpicked and ethically resurrected in Brooklyn, NY. My goal is to make elevated, upcycled garments which feel accessible. I love doing custom work to ensure my clients are getting exactly what they want, and what fits their bodies. 

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m going to out myself a bit here as a total horse girl. Anyone visiting would definitely be spending time with me at Legacy Valley Farm riding horses. Other than that, we would be trying to hit up locally owned shops in RiNo to support other makers!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother, who helped me set up a studio in the basement of her home that I was living in during covid and was always driving me to the Goodwill in Arvada to source. Shout out to my mom for keeping my idle hands busy during a time of immense devastation and stress, and shout out to Goodwill in Arvada for some great finds!

Website: https://www.alaynaroe.com/

Instagram: @shopalaynaroe

Image Credits
Photographer Mandi Lynn