Artist and fashion designer specializing in sustainable textiles fit for royalty

WE MEET AN ARTIST AND FASHIO DESIGNER WHO SPECIALIZES IN SUSTAINABLE TEXTILES THAT ARE FIT FOR ROYALTY. QUEEN IS FOUNDER OF QUEEN ADELINE, A SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING COMPANY. >> I MADE A COMMITMENT TO BIODEGRADABLE FIBERS. MOST OF OU CLOTHING WITH A LACK OF WAY OF DISPOSING. THEY ARE PUT INTO LANDFILLS AND EACH YEAR, THESE LANDFILLS GROW. I JOKE WITH MY CUSTOMERS, I TELL THEM, I LIKE TO THINK THAT IF MY CLOTHING SHOULD FIND THEMSELVES IN THE F, THEY WILL BE ONE WITH TH F, BECAUSE IT WILL BIODEGRADE. QUEEN’S ENTRANCE TO THE FASHION WORLD WAS NOT PLANNED. >> MY DEGREE WAS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE. >> QUEEN MOVED TO BOSTON TO BE WITH HER HUSBAND. WHILE WAITING FOR HER WORK VISA, SHE FOUND HERSELF WITH NOTHING TO DO. >> I GOT TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO. >> SHE BEGAN ORDERING FABRIC FROM GOING OUT AND MUNCHED QUEEN ADELINE. >> WHEN I SEE THE FABRIC FROM BACK HOME, I FEEL LIKE I AM HOME AND I CAN SHARE A PIECE OF ME WITH THE WORLD. >> HER METHOD IS UNCONVENTIONAL. I DON’T GO TO THE DESIGN TABLE WITH SKETCHES. I SIT HERE AND LOOK AT THIS FABRIC AND I’M LIKE, WHAT DO YOU BE WANT TO MADE US WHAT YOU WANT TO BE MADE INTO? — WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE INTO? I AM ASKING PEOPLE TO BE SUSTAINABLE IN THEIR CLOTHES, TO KEEP CLOTHING FOREVER. IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME. >> MAKING SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY OUT OF SOMETHING SIMPLE IS ONE OF HER TALENTS. WE ASKED FOR HER EXPERT HELP IN STYLING A SIMPLE SCARF. >> VERY EASY. TIE THIS. THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT MORE FUN. I LOVE SCULPTURAL PIECES. I ALWAYS WANT SOMETHING STICKING OUT. IMAGINE THIS. ALL OF A SUDDE — I’M GOING TO MAKE ONE AND LONGER, TWO THIRDS HERE AND ONE THIRD THERE THEN FOR THE TWO THIRDS PAR, YOU GET THAT THEY ARE, AND THEN YOU GO IN LIFE THA DEPENDING HOW DRAMATIC YOU WANT TO BE FOR THE DAY. NOT ONLY IS QUEEN ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT BRINGING COLOR INTO DRAB WARDROBES, SHE WANT TO EDUCATE WOMEN ABOUT THEIR CLOSET. >> WHEN PEOPLE COME TO THE STUDIO, IT IS LIKE A VISIT WITH A QUEEN. [LAUGHTER] IT GOES BEYOND FASHION FOR ME, THIS IS EMPOWERMENT, THIS IS HELPING PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES. BY THE TIME WE ARE DONE, THEY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT NOTION OF BRINGING A PIECE OF SUSTAINABILITY INTO THEIR CLOSET. >> AS SHE WORKED TO GROW HE BUSINESS, QUEEN CONNECTED WITH THE BOSTON-BASED SOCIETY OF ARTS AN CRAFTS, THE OLDEST ARTS AND CRAFTS NONPROFIT. NEW ENGLAND IS FULL WITH CRAFT. WITH ALL THE BAKING, MASK MAKING, NEW ENGLANDERS ARE TAPPING INTO THEIR CREATIVE ENERGY AS THEY LOOK FOR MORE TO DO AT HOME. THE SOCIETY IS BOOMING WITH ACTIVITY, SAYS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> ALL OF THESE CREATIVE PURSUITS HAVE A RENAISSANCE DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE SHIFT TO AN ONLINE PRESENCE HAS BEEN A PLEASANT SURPRISE. >> WE ARE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH MANY MORE PEOPLE ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AND A CHRIST — AND ACROSS THE U.S. ARTISTS DON’T HAVE TO COME TO US, WE CAN GO TO THEM THROUGH THE CONVENIENCE OF THE ONLINE MEDIUM. >> BUT MANY MAKERS STILL RELY ON IN PERSON SHOPPING TO SELL THEIR ART. PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TOUCH THE WORK, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF THE EXPERIENCE, AND THAT IS TAKEN AWAY AND YOU HAVE TO FIND OTHER CREATIVE WAYS TO HELP A VISITOR UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU ARE DOING. >> THE SOCIETY RECOGNIZES THE ONLINE WORLD ARTISTS ARE FACED WITH PRESENTS MORE THAN A FEW CHALLENGES. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT NOT EVERYONE I KNOWLEDGEABLE OF HOW TO PRESENT THEMSELVES ONLINE. >> THEY LAUNCHED WORKSHOPS FOR ARTISTS GEAR TOWARDS MARKETING THEMSELVES ONLINE. IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE TO SEE THAT GROWTH AND HOW THE ARTISTS PRESENT THEMSELVES. >> AS WE MENTIONED, QUEEN NEVER PLANNED TO START HER OWN CLOTHING LINE. WHEN SHE MOVED TO BOSTON, SHE EARNED A CERTIFICATE IN FASHION DESIGN FROM MASSAR SHE SAYS SHE LOVES WHAT SHE’S DOING AND LOVES TO INTRODUCE BRIGHT COLORS TO PEOPLE WHO TYPICALLY WEAR NEUTRALS. COMING UP, DESIGNER WHO BELIEVES EVERYTHING IS BETTER WITH BLING AND S

Artist and fashion designer specializing in sustainable textiles fit for royalty

Meet Queen Allotey-Pappoe, a sustainable fashion designer on a mission to empower others while being environmentally conscious

Updated: 8:07 PM EST Jan 28, 2021

Queen Allotey-Pappoe says she creates wearable art for the everyday woman. Her brand, Queen Adeline, specializes in sustainable designs and Queen loves to educate women about their fashion choices. Colors pop on her pieces and most of her designs are convertible so customers can wear them in more than one way. The Society of Arts and Crafts is the nation’s oldest arts and crafts society. They say they’ve seen a resurgence in crafting and making over the past year as people look for new ways to stay entertained at home.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Queen Allotey-Pappoe says she creates wearable art for the everyday woman. Her brand, Queen Adeline, specializes in sustainable designs and Queen loves to educate women about their fashion choices. Colors pop on her pieces and most of her designs are convertible so customers can wear them in more than one way.

The Society of Arts and Crafts is the nation’s oldest arts and crafts society. They say they’ve seen a resurgence in crafting and making over the past year as people look for new ways to stay entertained at home.