Conversations with Samantha Telepak

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Telepak.

Hi Samantha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
Festival culture has always been something that has intrigued me. It’s a space that unites us all under one love. In a world that can give us so many reasons to become estranged from one another, festivals just so happen to draw us that much closer. So, how does this tie into my story? A part of the festival culture is the fashion realm. I was captivated by how the fashion in the scene was filled with intrinsic designs, funkadelic patterns, and eye-catching colors. Someone can make such a statement or “turn heads” the moment they walk into an event just by what they are wearing, and that’s what continues to draw me in. It’s a place that welcomes all with open arms but, most of all welcomes all styles, tastes, and influences. Back in my freshman year of college (approximately 12 years ago to date), I began partaking in “DIY” crafts that included bedazzling bras, stringing chains or beads together, and attempting to use my glue gun to fuse makeshift thrift items of clothing. I didn’t have much money to purchase brand-new items for weekend night outs, so I turned to my creative efforts to find ways to still dress to impress (within a budget of course). I graduated undergrad in 2016 and slowed down on my creations because I needed to pave a path to find where I belonged in this world. I just so happened, as one last hoorah, to travel to Vegas to a large-scale music festival where I was adorned with one of the creations I made myself in the comfort of my dormitory. Little did I know my life changed drastically when I met my current husband on the dancefloor and have been joined at the hip ever since. 

As the years went on, I found myself facing adversity in the heat of my “career.” I was 22 years old, evolving and navigating my first adult job. I worked at a facility that tore me down. I was newly engaged, but I was struggling at even wanting to enjoy the seconds of being a fiancé because of the soul-sucking job I found myself in. I faced days where I was crying, depressed, anxious, and belittled by a supervisor daily. While I didn’t have the confidence to walk away (yet), I leaned into my dreams and listened to my heart. After 2.5 years and one of the most challenging workdays I had experienced, I came home to find a gift on my doorstep. While opening it, I got teary-eyed; I saw “Brother Sewing Machine” peek through the box and looked over to my husband as he smirked. One of my dreams was to learn how to sew my clothes for music festivals. My husband knew the only way I would learn was if he took the initiative to purchase my first machine. I turned the days of grief into joy. Getting to play with something so foreign to me, knowing I had the power to unlock my creative abilities again, was everything I could have ever wanted. All I wanted to do after work was learn the ins and the outs of how to sew. My sewing journey began in 2019, which was also the same year I QUIT the job that took the life out of me. It sounds so silly that a piece of machinery can change your life, but this one truly did. 

The New Year’s Eve of 2020, we were prepping for our wedding and drafting up ways to jumpstart my business. I didn’t have any idea or clue on how to run a business other than the fact that I just wanted to start sharing my creations with others. Of course, the pandemic hit… and while humans were cooped up and turning away from each other, I was tuned in turning toward my love for sewing. It was approximately 1.5 years of learning the ropes, the tricks, the stitches, and the correct patterns. I told myself when the world “opened back up,” I would be ready. And so, I was. My small business flourished when festivals began their announcements. It felt like there was normalcy up ahead. While I have been in operation for just under four years, there is not a day that goes by that doesn’t make me grateful to do what I love every day and continue to be so thankful for the opportunities that have been given to me. I am so glad that in 2019, I walked away from somewhere that didn’t serve me anymore. I chose myself, and that’s the most important thing you can ever do. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been the smoothest, but without risk, there is no reward. As a self-taught seamstress, the most challenging part was encouraging customers to share their feedback about how their clothing fit. I had to be open to constructive feedback and work on altering many items of returned clothing. But I didn’t give up. I wanted to earn my customer’s loyalty and show them that I was driven to grow as a seamstress by using their feedback to help mold me into a designer. There is just so much to learn when it comes to sewing, and I believe the hardest part is just remembering that it’s almost impossible to just know everything there is. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
My business is primarily tailored to music festival attendees. I design, sew, and fabricate in my home studio. I utilize bright, bold, prismatic, and dramatic colors that are not only striking but made to last. If you can think it, I can do it. My business name, “TelepakikCreations,” is derived from my last name (which was the last name of my husband), “Telepak,” in combination with “Telepathic.” I strive to “read the minds” of customers who seek out custom wear for their upcoming adventures. I specialize in custom festival wear for those who have grand ideas. I think of my clothing as “otherworldly” because I don’t just stick to one aesthetic. Everyone should experience the feeling of being able to rock a concept that makes them feel powerful. The designs I create are one of a kind; they are specifically made with all my customer’s best interests. As a music festival attendee, I understand how important the fit needs to be for longer periods of wear. As a woman of curves, I also am aware of how crucial it is for my clothing to make everyone, all genders and all sizes, feel included. I am just so proud of how far I have come in my sewing journey. Not having had the opportunity to go to fashion design or business school and establishing a small shop in both of these areas is something I don’t ever stop thinking about. 

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
YES, believe it or not, I learned the most through YouTube. I was always looking up videos on how to “sew with spandex,” or use overlocking machines, or differences between top stitches. YouTube was a huge space that allowed me to learn all the tips and tricks there it out there. To this day, I find myself on YouTube searching all sorts of things that can help me streamline my work 

Pricing:

• Average Custom Sets $275-$300
• Affordable Pre-made sets $80-$150

Contact Info:

• Website: TelepakikCreations.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/telepakikcreations/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TelepakikCreations/