Reconstruct line photoshoot behind-the-scenes (Spring 2019)

Behind the Scenes shot from 2020 Mask Initiative

My tiny workspace I kept for 3 years... not pictured: piles of clothing, fabric, scraps, fibers, & additional pattern making/sewing supplies I was able to store & use in the WMU Apparel Lab throughout college.

Artist Bio // Design Story

Hello! My name's Rose, I live in Southwest Michigan, I'm 24, spend lots of time in the gym or with my 17-pound mini-labradoodle Olive, am semi-covered in tattoos, and have been quite literally obsessed with art & design since I learned how to use scissors at age 4. I was then quoted saying, "the worst day of my life was when I was born because I couldn't use scissors" & I can't argue with my 4-year-old self.

I grew up in Traverse City with my parents & brothers before moving to Kalamazoo in the fall of 2017 to pursue fashion design & business. After the college experience of a lifetime, developing Rose Soma LLC, a summer internship with Yana Dee, and a too-short study abroad (plus one lost to COVID-19), I graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Merchandising and Design: Design and Development with a minor in Entrepreneurship as a Medallion Scholar (highest honor of the Lee Honors College) and Global Ambassador Diplomat (study abroad scholarship competition) in Spring 2021. I basically collected scholarship through various competitions with my free time in high school to pay my way through college, and continued to earn a few more throughout my studies (ITAA Scholarship for my Chaos & Composure coat).

I established my sole proprietorship, Rosemarie Soma Designs, in December of 2017, which then morphed into Rose Soma LLC in 2018 following a "break the internet" moment (which turned into years) with my Vine sticker collection. I think my "biggest design flexes" would have to be designing for Remi Wolf, Rickie Fowler, doing product photography for Frankie Lapenna, and my 2017 Mission Patch design physically going into space. I sell items internationally frequently, but I'm still processing that one six years later: ISS Mission 9 to the International Space Station... scroll to "8: Traverse City Michigan". I also won first place & Viewer's Choice at the 2019 Business Pitch competition through the Haworth College of Business.

In 2020 when the world shut down, after selling predominantly clothing, stickers & accessories for 3 years, my business took on mask-making for a few months, generating about $30,000 worth of mask-only revenue in the month of April alone. Thankfully I had hired help (one of my best college friends & fashion classmates), and we were able to not only make and sell thousands of mask at emergency-level demand directly to customers all around the United States, but we also donated about 600 handmade masks to our local hospitals. 

Since 2017, I've generated over $228,000 worth of Etsy-only revenue, and my Etsy shop has been ranked in the top 1% based on sales. I still fulfill orders weekly. This is not to discount the role Big Moods played in helping with organic advertising to my shop. Through Big Moods, we sold $299,000 in Big Moods-only revenue in the first 6 months of opening back when my stickers were the only ones available on the website in 2018. My logo for their website was used 2018-2023. They've since rebranded, and it is an absolute joy to watch the company grow, design for line-specific collections, do product photography for most stickers & greeting cards available, and (after business-relationship negotiations and a contract process where I learned the value of copyright and owning your work as an artist) receive monthly royalties for my original designs. We now have stickers available in Target and other retailers nationwide.

Although success isn't strictly measured by numbers, it's been a joy and a pleasure making a living off of what was once a dream. I hope my passion for not only the big name projects, but each individual garment I've handmade or custom project I've completed for friends, family, and strangers around the world, is reflected throughout my website.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me via Email or Instagram DMs.

Instagram: @rosesomadesign & @rosemariesoma

Graduated as a Medallion Scholar & Global Ambassador Diplomat with a degree in Fashion Merchandising & Design: Design & Development and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

Likely one of my first projects; a "vest" cut from a tablecloth, modeled by my little brother & shamelessly promoted by yours truly.

Shop via Etsy

My Etsy shop is always filled with random projects. You'll find stickers I've designed (some of which are available through Big Moods, Target.com, and in various retail stores around the United States), up-cycled patchwork clothing I make from thrifted materials, hand-weavings made to use up recycled t-shirt yarn and fabric scraps, and little pieces of myself through artistic excursions. ​

On my Etsy shop,  you're unable to view items that are sold out.
​If you'd like to view my ready-to-wear design archive, meaning one of one pieces I designed and sold, click the button below.

View Sold out (Clothing)