Girls Against God | In Conversation

Current trends are seemingly changing within the blink of an eye, so it’s especially fascinating to meet anyone who can stand out against the odds. Solely running I Spy A Find, a primarily online, upcycled and curated vintage shop, Mar Alameri happens to be one of those stand-out individuals. Alameri is a 25 year old writer, stylist and connoisseur of several creative ventures with her eye on the prize. Starmaker Machine worked collaboratively with Alameri to showcase just a few of the many unique pieces that are up for sale on her website for a concept titled, “Girls Against God”. This is Starmaker’s first-ever collaboration, and we could not be more honored that it could be with someone with the artistic caliber of Alameri. Whether it be an extravagant plan or a passing whim, every small business has to start somewhere. With her love for fashion and an intense desire for her distinct style to be represented, Alameri recalls when she decided it was time for her to start I Spy A Find.

KITTY QUINN: Could you walk me through the story of how I Spy was founded?

MAR ALAMERI: I walked into this boutique in downtown Ypsilanti, and as I was looking through the clothes I didn’t really see anything that spoke to me. It kind of just came to me. Every store has a certain aesthetic with the type of clothes that they sell. I just never found a vintage store that sells things that make me go, “Oh my gosh, I want all of this”. I realized I could do that on my own, so it was great because I already had a collection to begin with because I had lost a ton of weight and things just outgrew me. Then, I started sourcing clothing and fell in love with it.

QUINN: What specifically drew you to sourcing and upcycling vintage pieces rather than selling newer ones?

ALAMERI: I think the vintage part came first because I loved how the quality of things before were so much better. I also liked the idea that I was doing a good thing by reusing clothes rather than contributing to fast fashion. I thought it would be a super cool idea to start reworking stuff and it would totally make sense for my shop too. It’s been fun so far. It's great because it contributes to honing my skills, which I'm going to school for now.

QUINN: When you’re upcycling, are you trying to make stuff you like to see exclusively or do you also try to cater to what you think other people would want to see?

ALAMERI: A little bit of both. I think it’s a bit cocky, to be honest, because I think I’m the moment. Anything that I like I think, “Okay, this is relevant. I can see how people would like this too”. And if I could prove to people that I could make it work, then I think that they would trust me. I like to challenge myself and be really creative with the things I wear and use things in ways that they wouldn’t traditionally be used in.

QUINN: Ooh, I really like that. As a creative person, how important is it for you to be around other creative people?

ALAMERI: It is so important, dude. I am having a La La Land moment right now where I’m having to choose my goals over love, and it’s so fucking hard and it hurts a lot but it’s part of the growing pains. I feel like you have to be around other creative people to inspire you and challenge you and think the way that you do. You’re either being authentic to yourself or trying to follow trends— that’s the difference. I feel like it’s so fucking important to be around people who are trying to make art because they’re trying to think outside of the box.

Alameri’s out of the box approach makes I Spy stand out not only when it comes to the upcycling and curation of her shop, but also in the way that she markets her products as well. It’s always interesting to see what new concepts can be born out of the conjunction of several different passions. Alameri combined her passion for fashion with her desire to write, thus creating an artistic avenue of her own. As an artist, there’s a lot of pressure to be perfect on the first try when in reality there should be no shame in imperfections— they’re what make any form of art personal and unique.No two artists are exactly the same and there will always be new ways to improvise on each individual creative path. Sometimes it’s best to let your creativity lead and your mind will always follow.

QUINN: I feel like I Spy is very interesting because you don’t typically see businesses that have an editorial writing side as well as clothing, so what drove you to join your writing and business together into one thing?

ALAMERI: I just love art and wanted to make something meaningful. If people like what I write, that's cool. if they don’t, that’s cool too. I’m just writing to write, you know what I mean? I just decided on a whim one day that I wanted to try writing, so I did. I had no experience and I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m trying to do the best that I can.

QUINN: Before you started writing for I Spy, you never wrote before?

ALAMERI: No.

QUINN: That’s really interesting because I feel like some people have been writing their whole life and gradually ease their way into it. I really appreciate the fact that you dove into it headfirst and included it. It was very fearless. It takes a lot of bravery.

ALAMERI: That is so nice of you to say. I am just trying to live my truth, and I guess that moment that was my truth. I just put shit out there and if people like it, they like it. If they don’t, I don’t give a shit. That's how I feel.

QUINN: I feel like that’s a great life philosophy in general for anything people want to do.

ALAMERI: And I agree, it’s all about a mindset shift. If people don’t like it, they can tell you why and you can do better. And if they do, the same thing, they can tell you why and you can have a conversation. You’re never going to know unless you put it out there. I feel like so many people are crippled by fear that they never even give themself a chance. That’s why I feel like it’s so important to actively work on yourself. You need to figure out what is stunting you from your growth.

QUINN: Yeah, exactly. I feel like a lot of people wait until there’s the right moment, but there will never be a moment where everything perfectly falls into place. You just have to start now or you’ll never do it.

ALAMERI: It’s so funny that you say that because I was thinking about this earlier. I feel like I used to be like that. Actually, when I first started I Spy, I felt like I had to get everything right and then I’d have my moment. You’re never going to get everything perfect— something is bound to fuck up and you just have to learn how to be okay with it and go with the flow. You’re never going to get perfection but you’re going to get progress, you just have to stay consistent.

QUINN: What would you say your ultimate goal is for the future as both a business owner and a creative person?

ALAMERI: I don’t know where I’m going with I Spy, to be honest. I don’t think I want to do vintage forever because I want to create something more. It’s been a great experience and has taught me a lot though. As a creative person, I just want to live my truth, document it, and see what I can make. I just want to make meaningful things. If it could just resonate with one person, then that’s okay with me. That’s all I need; for someone to say, “I get it, I understand”.

Finding like-minded individuals is so crucial to the expansion of one’s creative expression and mind, especially for young artists within the creative field. To have the appreciation of an observer is one thing, but to have another artist that you respect appreciating your work can be one of the most gratifying experiences. Something I really appreciate about Alameri is the fact that she makes her art for herself, yet welcomes any type of reaction to it. It’s so interesting to talk to her and hear her take on the creative writing process, especially because many of her points really resonated with my own feelings surrounding it. I love that Alameri does what she does just to do it, not to receive approval from others. It feels good to know that there is someone in a similar boat, slowly drifting towards their own creative purpose at the same pace.

QUINN: How do you come up with the concepts for your editorials?

ALAMERI: Things just come to me sometimes in my day-t0-day life. I think it’s because I’ve trained myself to be conscious of it. I told myself, “Okay, whenever you feel something significant, write it down”. Now, something will happen and I will pull out my notes app and write whatever comes to me. Pinterest helps a lot too. I’m very visual.

QUINN: That’s similar to the Starmaker creative process. We see something that inspires us on social media or Pinterest and go, “Oh, we have to write about this.” or “We have to do a whole photoshoot surrounding this”. You know?

ALAMERI: Yeah, for sure. I love what you guys are doing, dude. I want to support you forever.

QUINN: Thank you, we also want to support you forever. Are there any side projects that you’re working on alongside the duties of I Spy?

ALAMERI: Well, I want to grow my career but it’s been a bit hard because getting my degree has been taking longer since I'm a late bloomer. I am happy with where I am right now. This summer I modeled for my friend’s book that she’s publishing. It’s coming out next spring. I’m really excited about that. Modeling has always been a guilty pleasure and I don’t really talk about it because I’m 5’1 and a half. I’d love to do more editorials because I think I could totally kill it, but my height makes it really hard.

QUINN: I feel like the modeling atmosphere is becoming more diverse, so I feel like the small girls will have their time to shine soon. I’m excited to see what you did for the book though! What kind of book is it?

ALAMERI: It’s a thriller. It’s great because the two leads are women exploring their sexuality while navigating their Muslim faith and that’s not really talked about. She’s really doing the damn thing and I’m so proud of her. And you know what’s so cool? It’s not even self-published, she’s publishing it through Penguin.

QUINN: Oh wow, that's super exciting! Big steps! I’m excited to see you modeling for it but also super excited to read it. You don’t see that concept anywhere.

ALAMERI: Yeah, it’s super cool. I’m very excited.

One of the most interesting characteristics of creative people is the fact that there is rarely ever confinement to one artistic path. For Alameri, modeling serves as one of the many facets of her artistry. For others, there is an endless combination of the different kinds of art to be explored as well. The one thing that is universal among artists is an inspiration. Not everyone is inspired by the same concepts but every piece of art– no matter the form– starts when inspiration strikes. Alameri’s approach to inspiration is inspiring within itself. It’s great to see someone who wants to focus on uplifting others, especially when it can be so easy to let jealousy cloud your judgment.

QUINN: Who and what would you say inspires you the most?

ALAMERI: Everything inspires me— just existing and my life as I continue to understand people. Strong women really inspire me too. I fucking love strong women. Lately, it’s been Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion. I just love women who love women because you just don’t see that enough. Honestly, I was late to even acknowledging that art exists. I was a late bloomer, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

QUINN: Speaking of musicians like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion, is there a specific album, book, or movie that you feel really embodies your life or the way you want to live your life? It doesn’t have to be your favorite piece of media of all time, but just what you feel in the current moment.

ALAMERI: In this current moment, the movie La La Land feels so relevant. It ties back into having to choose your career and goals over love, you know? I just don’t feel like that is talked about enough because it’s so easy to fall into gender roles. That has such a huge impact on why women feel like they have to make that decision between love and goals.

QUINN: The points you’re bringing up are so valid. I also feel like people don’t talk enough about the fact that there is a way to balance love and goals without having to choose one over another. You can have both.

ALAMERI: Exactly, if people would take a bit more accountability and try to work on themselves, then we could definitely have both.

Finding that balance between your goals and love can be one of the biggest challenges as an artist. While living in a society that makes it difficult to solely be an artist, there is stress to exclusively focus on your goals in order to survive. However, it is so important to challenge this idea and fight for love as well, whether it be platonic or romantic. Believe it or not, the relationships you have are just as important as the goals that you set. It's crucial to invest in your relationships the same way you invest in your art because without others to encourage and enlighten you, reaching your goals will never feel quite as fulfilling. Working within fashion can be so challenging, especially when it feels like the trend cycle is constantly changing in ways that have never been seen before. As someone within that industry, and as an artist in general, Alameri shares the advice that she wishes she heard when she began her creative journey.

QUINN: Is there a specific piece of advice that you wish you heard from someone when you were creating your own business and deciding that you wanted to go into a creative field?

ALAMERI: I wish people would really emphasize what trusting the process really means. Trusting the process is more than what it sounds like. It feels cliché because you hear it so much, but it’s really necessary. So much of the time you really want to give up, especially when you have to do so much on your own in the beginning. it’s knowing that things aren't going to always be easy, you just have to keep going.

QUINN: I totally get that. There’s always that point as an artist where you’re wondering if what you’re doing will ever amount to anything. Then, when you finally put something out that you’re proud of, you’re glad that you stuck it out because it’s everything to you.

ALAMERI: That’s exactly what I was trying to say because I felt that recently when I published the second blog. There’s only two out now, but I was really proud of that second one and it was like, “I don’t even give a shit if anyone reads this, I’m happy with it”.

If there’s one thing to take away from my conversation with Alameri, it’s to put yourself out of your comfort zone and continue with your art even when it feels like it’s not going anywhere. It's beneficial to realize that progress is inevitable when you are constantly working on honing a skill. While there are days that the creative process will be more difficult than others, following Alameri’s philosophy of trusting every nuance is especially crucial. Though there is this idea that all artists are open to exploring different approaches, it’s surprising how many confine themselves to one aesthetic. It felt very enlightening to be able to partner with Alameri due to her open-mindedness. I admire her perspective on art because it is realistic, yet she is still able to keep a sense of positivity. Balance is the objective but accepting that your art will not always be exactly what you envision is the first step to unlocking your full potential. Let yourself experience those growing pains— it’s not all for nothing.