Meet Malia Sias | Fashion Designer

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

Hi Malia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a fashion designer we always dream about doing our own collection. The hardest part is coming up with the concept. something that makes sense and feels authentic. My street art started in 2003. It was just something that made me happy. And as my life took me on adventures around the world I kept doing my street art. And it kept making me happy. I would make tees, pillows, pins, and sticker packs. I mostly gave them to friends and sold them online. But it was never really a business. Then one day my two worlds just collided. I was doing product development for one of my clients. They asked me to make them an air freshener with their logo. So I made one with my eye. Then I made some rugs. Then I made some pillows. And then I just had a whole bunch of inventory and essentially a business. Then I needed a place to sell all this inventory I made. So my thought process was driven by my passion to create and the love for my street art and how it makes people feel.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My business is a collection of my life’s work and the skills and trades I’ve picked up along the way. The streetart itself was born from the sticker slapping counter culture I’ve been part of since I can remember. I mean EVERY little girl has a sticker book right? When I was in high school I worked at a pharmacy and the Pharmacist would let me take the pill container stickers that said “may cause diarrhea” or “for vaginal use only” and I would stick them all over lockers and friends books. I think this was my first experience with sticker slapping. Then in the 90’s I was a huge Deadhead and traveled cross country following the band from show to show. (when Jerry was alive ). At the time I was making a sticker that said “FART fecal aromatic rectal tremor” and at the time since I was driving cross country I’d hang these stickers up all over on payphones and toll booths across America. But it was in 2003 when I was gluing googly eyes on things like fire hydrants. But I’d be so sad when I’d go back a day or two later and the googly eyes had fallen off. So I made a googly eye sticker and called it “googly eye cru” and the cru was born.

Shortly after dead tour I enrolled in fashion design school. I had been making dresses and selling them at Dead shows so it seemed like a natural next step to learn how to make clothes professionally. Since 1995 I have designed for many different categories, pricepoints and industries. I’ve designed men’s, women’s and children’s apparel. I have worked on a variety of products including urban, skate and luxury clothing. One of my proudest moments in my career was when I designed the uniforms for the Flight Crew. The cheerleaders for the Jets football team.

I’ve spend the last 2 decades learning about all aspects of the industry. It was all of this experience and sweat equity that has gotten to me to the place I am now. And honestly for the first time in my career. I feel like I”m exactly where I need to be. It hasn’t been easy but it’s been fun.

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?
First I would tell them to come to NYC when it’s nice out. The city is so much more fun to explore when it’s not brick outside. (that’s how new yorker’s say “cold” ) I would suggest we walk everywhere and/or ride a citibike to get around. You see so much more that way and can cover more ground. And I can put stickers up along the way.

I tend to hang in brooklyn the most. Just because it’s cooler with less tourists. who needs an itinerary when you’re in New York? The best part about this city is the ability to be spontaneous. Some of my best times were when I walked out my door and said “i’m going to go left today”

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people I could shout out because my Tribe is strong. But when it comes to the Googly Eye Cru I have to give love to my other Cru members Tara Logdson & Syd Vongboudty. Both of them have been part of the streetart from the start! Helping me make faces all over the world. Even though this business is my “vision” and my own obsession Tara and Syd are lifetime cru members. God we have some good memories.

Website: www.thegooglyeyecru.com

Instagram: @googlyeyecru

Facebook: @googlyeyecru

Other: tiktok: @googlyeyecru

Image Credits
Colby Blount, John Kraljevich elle.com