Like many fashion designers, Rodriguez releases a collection of pieces all at once, each beginning with a mood board. She gathers her inspirations and research, purchases sustainably sourced yarns as close to home as possible, and experiments with color, texture, and pattern until she finds the designs that feel right. During her process, she fully embraces her mental and emotional state, allowing it to influence the direction of her work; if she is feeling the blues, her work may evoke more feelings of embrace and comfort, while a particularly carefree season may lead to an airier feel in her clothing. Whatever happens during her creative process, the final result is polished knitwear that is responsive to everyday life, able to be worn comfortably anywhere, ready for anything. Rodriguez hand knits each piece to order and only creates 7-10 versions of each piece before retiring it.
One day, Rodriguez hopes to grow beyond her small one-room studio, integrating women-owned co-ops and more low-impact practices into her design and production operations.
“Really, in my wildest dreams, I have a circle of knitting machines in a big room, staffed by amazing women, and a cat just sitting in the center,” Rodriquez laughs. “For now, though, I’m happy in my little Augusta studio with my two cats, Monty and Hurricane, making things for people that make them happy.”
