Zest Dressed x EenerYak
Music is the driving inspiration for Kayla LaMotte of Eneer Yak’s dynamic and colorful collage art.
COLLAGE Love
At ZD we love to break the mould, especially when it comes to how workers, artists and artisans are treated by brand. Graphics are often huge sales driver for brands, but the people who create the original artwork that give products their charm and originality rarely see the pay off or are even allowed to claim their work in a public way. We want to model a different way of commissioning artists than the status quo.
For our first ever canvas tote, we partnered with Kayla Renee of Eener Yak whose collage art we find to be both poignant and escapist. In addition to compensating Kayla with a fee to use her art, we are also piloting a profit-sharing program in which we are able to give her an additional $10 for every tote sold. The point of this program, again, is to spotlight one of the many problems with how the fashion world treats rising and independent artists [dangling small commissions and then forcing NDA agreements]. We love to promote the artists we collaborate with, and help send a longstanding stream of support their way!
Shop Zest Dressed X EenerYak TOTES here, made from colorgrown cotton canvas produced in USA, scrap mismatched handles and remnant fabric used for binding. We hope you enjoy reading more about Kayla’s work, inspiration and experience as a small business owner!
MEET Kayla
Music is a very large part of my collage making. I draw a ton of inspiration from some of my favorite artists who tend to have intriguing visuals of their own like Kid Cudi, Masego, Bas, Chance The Rapper, & Kanye West.
When I quit my job in February of 2020 and then COVID hit, collage was a blessing to me and has done a lot to supplement my income. There are challenges, like forming the LLC, shipping out of the country, dealing with the post office and TAXES, which are things I was not built for. Starting out, it isn’t sustainable to hire someone to help out right away, luckily my family has been very helpful and supportive in these areas. If I had it my way, I would solely create art all day, everyday and not worry about anything else.
I do feel the traction and support so strongly. The network of artists and supporters that have formed around me through Instagram is amazing. I get to interact with new people every day and get to hear their interpretations and kind words about the pieces that I am making. The support and constant feedback that I get is definitely what drives me. I am also finally in a place where I am doing exactly what I want to be doing with my life. Just to remember that simple thought goes a long way in motivation.
My goals are to just keep pushing forward. I have so many ideas and avenues that I want to pursue with EenerYak and can’t wait to have those come to life. I hope to continue to inspire people, make connections, & communicate my inner thoughts through my art work. This is only the beginning.
I want people to know that I am a very open and accepting person. My art typically conveys a very strong message & certain themes come through very clearly. Sometimes this can be misconstrued as close minded or judgmental. I want to make sure that people know that they can always approach me. I’m always up for learning and hearing the point of view of others.
