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Designer Interview: Natalie Vanderschaaf on the Importance of Creativity


Natalie Vanderschaaf in custom Natalie Vanderschaaf, photographed by Laron Van Allen-Gillbert
Natalie Vanderschaaf in custom Natalie Vanderschaaf, photographed by Laron Van Allen-Gillbert

Natalie Vanderschaaf has found art and creativity to be “essential” parts of her life and has utilized everything around her as inspiration for her Ringmaster design. 


“In times of dullness, I find myself turning back to the natural world, noticing the little patterns in weather and light and the way living things behave.”


Vanderschaaf does not have the most experience with sewing, but wore her inspirations and motives on her sleeve, confident she could piece together the right design. 


“To be honest, I struggled quite a bit with this piece—this was my first time ever designing a full outfit for myself, and before this project began, I could probably count on one hand the number of times I’d touched a sewing machine. I also wrestled with choosing the right top—since the skirt has such a circus element, I really wanted something that could bring that bit of vintage militaristic style into the design.”


Vanderschaaf was drawn to both the circus and the industrial elements of the Ringmaster theme, particularly enamored with how “fun and different” the theme was from anything she’d seen before.


“The opportunity to have a design that interacted with such contrasting ideas of circus and military was definitely a new experience for me.”


She implemented this dichotomy by focusing on key details and the combination of her piece with other items of clothing. She also incorporated key elements like “the classic red circus colors, ribbon motifs and [a] red vest-style top.”



Natalie Vanderschaaf in custom Natalie Vanderschaaf, photographed by Laron Van Allen-Gillbert
Natalie Vanderschaaf in custom Natalie Vanderschaaf, photographed by Laron Van Allen-Gillbert

“The star of the show in my piece is the skirt. I feel like the people around me are well aware of my love for a maxi skirt, and I’m also particularly proud because I sewed it completely from thrifted bedsheets.”


By utilizing the materials around her and drawing inspiration from across the internet and her surroundings, Vanderschaaf has created a truly unique and detailed piece that successfully combines the different elements of Ringmaster. While the process has come with challenges, she’s found peace and clarity in the art of design. 


“Although I wouldn’t consider myself to be a typical artist in the sense of the word, I do define myself as a noticer and an appreciator of all things creative. Art and creativity are essential to a meaningful life, and I can always rely on human creation to bring me back to earth.”


You can see Natalie Vanderschaaf’s design in Roam’s 2025 fashion show, Ringmaster.

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