Today we’d like to introduce you to Anya Gibson.
Hi Anya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I launched Three of Swords in Atlanta, GA about two years ago, on April 20th, 2020. At the time, I was a recent college graduate working a dead end retail job in the Atlanta suburbs, and I was admittedly pretty miserable. I had decided before I graduated that I wasn’t going to pursue my initial career path, which was to be a high school ELA teacher. Because of this last minute life change, I was constantly racking my brain for new career ideas. I knew that I wanted to pursue something that genuinely made me happy, something that invoked passion in me in a way that education ultimately didn’t.
Eventually, and with the nudging of a close friend, my mind landed on launching a clothing brand. In retrospect, this made a lot of sense; I’ve always been inspired by fashion and unique, eclectic aesthetics, I’ve always complained about the lack of representation and lack of comfort in my “scene,” and, to be blunt, I was tired of others telling me what to do. I would spend hours at my retail job sketching out designs when I was supposed to be handing out product samples, and thinking about clocking in for more months (or years!) at a place that brought me little to no joy was endlessly depressing. So, with all of these thoughts rattling around, I decided to quit my job and pursue the dream.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all! In fact, it seems like the more a business grows, the more struggles appear. In the beginning, the main struggle was getting my name out there. I wasn’t someone who was comfortable with networking, nor was I someone who had a large social circle. I had an “if you build it, they will come” mentality, which took a lot to overcome. I am now to the point where I notice Three of Swords mentioned organically on various sites, social media posts, etc., which is always shocking, but I know that I still have a lot to learn when it comes to getting Three of Swords out there. One of my main 2022 goals is definitely to collaborate & network more!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Three of Swords?
If there’s one thing you should know about Three of Swords, it is this: when I say that my brand is for everyone, I truly mean it. Three of Swords was explicitly made for two reasons: to celebrate the beauty of alternative people of color, and to show others that your alt/goth aesthetic can be comfortable and fashionable at the same time. When I launched my brand, I was fed up with seeing one type of model/influencer, and I was fed up with feeling pressured to wear corsets, bondage pants, and sky high platforms by brands that only offered those things. When someone comes across Three of Swords, I want it to be immediately apparent that their look is welcome, their identity is welcome, and they don’t need to cinch, stuff, or batter their body to look “goth” or “alt”.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t think I believe in luck…I believe that my hard work and persistent attitude, along with the support of my customers, followers, and friends, has gotten Three of Swords to where it is today. Truth is stranger than fiction, however, so who’s to say that a little luck hasn’t helped me along the way!
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@threeofswordsatl.com
- Website: threeofswordsatl.com
- Instagram: @threeofswordsatl
- Facebook: @threeofswordsatl
- TikTok: @threeofswordsatl
- Pinterest: @threeofswordsatl
Image Credits
Raven
Kayla
