Day in the Life :
Designer Amy Page DeBlasio
The Providence native and University of Rhode Island graduate talks about balancing her two lives as an edgy and sophisticated fashion designer for her clothing line , APD , and working mother . By Edelinda Baptista
Twenty-four hours in a day might feel like a mere three hours if there are simply too many tasks to do . Amy Page DeBlasio , local fashion designer and creator of wearable works of art , continues to overcome the daily challenges of tackling her designing responsibilities and any setbacks that might come her way .
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AMY PAGE DEBLASIO / MYKE YEAGER PHOTOGRAPHY .
MORNING : I set my alarm for 7:30 a . m ., but I ’ m still nursing , so I ’ m usually up twice during the night then by 7 a . m . for the day . Leo is three , he ’ ll be four in May , and Eli is eighteen months , born in October . I get my kids ready for preschool and day care ; they have to be there between 8 – 8:30 a . m . and it ’ s on the way to the studio . Either my husband drops them off or I drop them off then go to work . MORNING TO AFTERNOON : I come into the studio at 9 a . m . I make coffee at home but I might stop for a coffee or a shake . I make a lot of lists and try to check one thing off the list at a time , but sometimes I ’ ll be working on something and it takes awhile . There are so many things to list that you can ’ t list them all . AFTERNOON TO EVENING : I usually pack lunch but sometimes I ’ ll run to Garden Grille , Wildflour or Lauren ’ s Café ; I like to support local shops over here .
I have to stay true to myself by designing what I like with what will sell , all while being efficient . I have to source fabric and notions ( from vendors throughout the U . S ., including Rhode Island and New York ), make samples , then have model fittings . I manage production , have my samples graded and digitized , and I make care labels . I also have to check the items once they come from the factory and do quality control . I may have to work out a snag in the production process or figure it out if a supplier didn ’ t ship in time — any day , I could be doing any number of these things .
I ’ m always thinking about designs and managing my website . I do marketing and social media myself . If I have a photo shoot , I have to have content , find the models , photographer and location , steam the clothes , find the accessories , hair and makeup . I have to lug everything to the site . I have to plan pop-up shows and events , including fashion shows where I have to plan the looks and find the models and accessories .
In one day , what was that — like five things ? No two days look the same . Right now , I ’ ve had some samples made [ since ] I ’ m heading into production for fall 2022 .
Some days my assistant will come . She ’ s a URI student named Portia who is working part-time . I have a phenomenal seamstress named Marie who helps me make my samples . I ’ m the only fulltime APD employee ; I need to stay vigilant and disciplined because I ’ m accountable to myself .
At the office , I try to switch off the mom stuff , but it ’ s always in the back of my mind . When I ’ m home , I try to be present with my children , but I don ’ t have a job that I just leave at the studio .
While I ’ m always professional in my fashion designer life , there are many times when my two lives intersect . When I had a runway show at New York Fashion Week this past fall , I was still nursing my second son , so we brought him to New York with us . I would take breaks between interviews and fittings with the models to nurse . I ’ LL LEAVE AT 4:40 P . M .: I ’ ll pick up my kids , arrive home and figure out dinner . I spend quality time with them as much as possible , so we play games , do puzzles or watch some TV . EVENING TO MIDNIGHT : I put Eli to bed and then Brandon , my husband , will put Leo to bed and it ’ s already 8:30 – 9 p . m . At the end of the day , I just want to relax and watch a show but after cleaning up from dinner and doing laundry , sometimes I have work to do around 9:30 – 10 p . m . and don ’ t get to bed until midnight . There ’ s never enough time . APD , Hope Artiste Village , 1005 Main St ., Unit 2225 , Pawtucket , amypagedeblasio . com . Follow @ apdpvd on social media . �
20 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2022