The Brief:
I’m Sabrina Jacqui Levin, or SJL. I refer to myself as a fashion artist, it’s the best way to encompass both sides of the my creative coin. My work is about the ‘fashion fantasy of it all’. Aesthetically, it’s avant-garde maximalism. It’s socially conscious and sustainably made. I will predominantly use vintage, up-cycled, recycled, and/or dead stock materials.
Lately, I’ve been repurposing older works into new ones, using their already sustainable sourced materials in one continuous environmentally friendly loop. It’s great for sustainability practices, keeping me on my creative toes, and lifting the financial burden just a little bit. Making this shit— it’s expensive.
And that’s just the wearable things. I make fully flushed out concepts of collections, just illustration, for now. Because making this shit is expensive.
And I paint— which is where the “fashion fantasy of it all” comes into play. These gals are usually out of this world concepts, not feasible to create IRL, but will look fantastic on your wall. Currently, I have a few for sale and I accept commissions as well; any size, any concept.
Lastly, I’ve thrown a little addition into my repertoire; poetry with a dash of photography, but mostly poetry. I self-published my first book last year. You can buy it here.
I reside in Salem, MA and open to custom works, commissions, and collaborations. All inquiries, email me at sabrinajacquilevin@gmail.com or click the envelope icon to the left!
The Full Story:
This all started the second I came out of the womb, maybe even while I was in there. My mother was styyyyylish, so I genuinely believe it’s just simply my DNA.
Drawing “fashions” began at 2-ish. Some examples of childhood concepts:
Once learning becoming a fashion designer was a thing I could be “when I grew up” (…still waiting for that day), it’s all I wanted, needed. I wasn’t a merely a “must”— it was the sole reason for existence and still is.
From then on every step I took in my childhood and well into my teen years was learning every fucking thing I could, which meant illustration skills, sewing skills, pattern drafting, etc., etc., etc. It also meant I sacrificed being a kid and being a teen because this meant more to me. While other kids may have had friends, went to parties, made stupid mistakes— I sewed. I listened to Lady Gaga and sewed.
Sew… all this busting my ass through high school which included drawing, designing, and making all costumes for the production of Cymbeline where I won HS Costume Guild’s award for best costume design AND designed and handmade two full 15 piece collections. My first titled "The Forbidden Garden", sold out on Etsy and can be seen here.
All this landed me in Parsons, my dream school— on early acceptance AND with the highest amount of scholarship they give. If you know anything about fashion design, it’s the school to be at in this country. My hard-work paid off, I thought. Well half a semester in, they tell me I owe another stack of bills I simply do not have nor will get nor will earn in my lifetime. I had to withdraw.
While the depression hadn’t set in completely yet, I still took this opportunity to make more things while applying to other schools. I worked on a new collection, a sweet 2010's Tumblr babe collection, sold like hot cakes. Some examples:
I decided to attend MassArt. Because it’s home and because it's cheap. But, boy did I paid for it in other ways. MassArt sucks. Point blank fucking sucks. They foster the talent that fit their mold, and everyone else can, well, suck it. I made some really beautiful things (some works are under editorials!) but overall it didn’t matter, I felt less and less. I spiraled further into a depression and I even somehow went back into the closet? Things weren’t good.
Anyway, I graduated by some fucking miracle, then I moved to god forsaken New York. I worked in the “industry” on and off for 6 years. “Designing” prints, pajamas, lingerie, dresses, tops, pants, sets, graphics, you name it. On top of research, inspiration, mood, colors, tech design, and everything else in between. The on and off meant I was also a studio manager for a costume company, an alterations a manager at David’s Bridal (rip), and taught sewing (I still do this!). In addition to serving and working on my own designs that I often did for free (don’t do this, ever).
Finally, I decided to make a small collection that was completely and entirely me. So, over the course of 2 years, including through Covid lockdowns, I made ‘Let Them Eat The Rich’, which can be seen here and here. I used it to apply to Central St. Martens in London (which if you know anything about fashion design, it’s pretty much the best school in the world). And well, I got rejected.
After a total and complete meltdown and blowing up my life; I had enough of the hustle, the bugs, the smells, the disgust, and the fucking endless anxiety so I moved back home— Salem to be exact. One of my favorite places in this country because this country isn’t for me but what choice do I have? Live in Salem. That’s my choice. It’s the closest to living in Europe I’m going to get, at least for now.
Moving back home has been a mixed bag of experiences, some have been full of horror and some have been full of hope. The hopeful is where I'll leave off.
I won three artist grants, done more creatively than I had in years, and met some wonderful people!
See below the grants won and what used for:
Salem Mini Artist Grant — used to showcase LTETR as an exhibition! Seen here.
MCC Salem Grant— used to host a FREE sewing 101 workshop to the community! Seen here.
And lastly, where I’m at right now, MCC Creative Individual Grant— using to create a 3 look mini collection, launch bbyDollz, and create merch in collaboration with Nocturne, Salem!