Shaquita Garcia is a fashion artist. She is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and is currently residing in New York City. Over the years she has done numerous collaborations with a myriad of brands, ranging from small and local to those as far and grand as the metaverse. 

How is designing print for athletic apparel unique to designing for other apparel?

Designing prints for athletic apparel was very different for me and I’m still learning to actually [laughs]. Staying true to my personal aesthetic, my main focus is always utilizing bold colors and bold prints, but athletic apparel focuses much more on movement and lines, per say, in my opinion. I had to adjust to that accordingly. 

How did you feel about the design process - what were the highs and lows?

The design process was fun and interesting in the beginning. It took a little while to understand certain placements of fabrics and materials, based on how a dancer/gymnast moves. So, if it weren’t for the team at ERIN educating me on these facts, I might not have been successful in the design process the first time around. My favorite part was picking out stones.

What inspired you during the design process?

People, places, feelings, etc. What was on the vision board the most during ideating…I’m a lover of rainbows and plaids. And rainbows are always on the mood board. 

What do you hope gymnasts (and dancers, and cheerleaders, etc) feel when wearing this design?

When someone wears this collection I hope they feel SEEN. I hope they have a sense of EMPOWERMENT. This collection is for anyone who wants to make a statement that says “I LOVE COLOR!” I want gymnasts to feel like they stand out amongst the crowd. We all know that when you feel good in what you’re wearing, you perform better too, so I hope gymnasts feel inspired to put their best foot forward while performing. 

What excites you about bodysuits/leotards and how do you think these can be styled to be worn outside of gym/barre class/dance? 

Bodysuits are exciting because they are easy! Throwing on a bodysuit underneath a skirt assures me that I won’t be fidgeting with my shirt all day. Of course the bodysuits can be worn underneath jeans, a beautiful tulle skirt, or with shorts in the summer. Also, considering the material, they can also double as ‘resort wear’ and be worn with a flowing chiffon coverup. 

As it stands, ERIN is still a small emerging brand with limited klout…what made you decide to partner with us?

Everyone has to start somewhere, including myself. So I decided to take a leap of faith on myself to collaborate with ERIN, a gymnastics company, which is a type of collaboration I’ve never done before. This was my start in the gymnastics industry, something that ERIN has the expertise in. It’s not about klout for me, it’s the experiences and relationships that I’m looking to build. 

Everybody knows about the challenges and limitations, but what are some benefits of partnering with a small business like ERIN? 

I feel that both parties are benefiting from the collaboration, regardless of how large or small. We’re bringing people together through a product that we love – and I love that for us.