Fall down the rabbit hole, drink the potion, and welcome to the world of New York’s Sydney Wek: CEO and designer of the sustainable and ethical World of My Own. Dreamy classic silhouettes and lots and lots and lace let young and sweet 17-year-old Sydney build her very own wonderland right from her bedroom.
Two springs ago while most of us were whipping coffee and Outerbanks binging, Sydney was up to something bigger. Her regular thrifting routine had been busted due to the pandemic, and scrolling through big-box online retailers wasn’t satisfying Syd’s creativity cravings. Newfound free time left room for incoming projects— small businesses were on the boom— and Sydney was in dire need of artistic stimulation, so she stepped up and asserted herself into the fashion space.
It all starts with a Pinterest board and a few sit downs sketching pencil to paper. Then comes fabric shopping, hours and hours up and down the aisles of lace trimmings and rolls of mesh until the perfect piece is found. Next, designs make way to Sydney’s seamstress where the collaborative back and forth begins to ensure the vision checks all the boxes. Clothes are produced and packed, models are bought and booked, and it’s time for a photoshoot. Mazzy star serenades over the sound of a clicking Canon flash and the clothes have finally come to life.
Of course, this process didn’t always run so smoothly. The most recent 90’s grunge “pretty on the inside” collection is the fourth of Wek’s works. Sydney’s debut collection for World of My Own had its fair share of setbacks from fabric failures to production and drop delays. It’s all about trial and it’s all about the error. Traction online increased and then came the fall “teen spirit” collection where designs became increasingly complex and stepped up from Sydney’s previous cookie-cutter composition. Think Delia’s catalogs, Liv Tyler, low rise jeans, and HOLE. Then summer rolled around; tans got darker and lights got brighter with the “Studio 17” collection. With bright colors and boot cuts, this more avant-garde collection gathered inspo from the infamous stories of studio 54. And as this history lesson comes to a close we meet once again with Sydney’s most recent magic, the “pretty on the inside” collection. Courtney Love, riot girl, all the good stuff; The “tramp stamp baby tee” and “groupie tube top” scream rocker chic loud enough for even the back of the crowd.
Flipping through old magazines (“Vogue December 1997 is my personal favorite”, says Syd), analyzing vintage photography, and watching 90s movies is where Sydney mostly spends time searching for style inspiration. But being in New York, there are ideas everywhere. The sidewalk is the canvas and NYC local street style provides artwork with an edge. “The initial idea behind the name ‘world of my own’ came from my childhood favorite Alice in Wonderland,” says Syd. “The idea is that whatever I want, whatever I dream up inside my head can come to life in my designs.”
The fundamental element behind her smashing success? Consistency. “You have to get past that first hump,” says Sydney. “Staying active online and creating a dialogue makes all the difference. A back and forth with followers to find out what we want from designs, or the brand, in general, keeps both sides engaged, improves the quality of content, and can build such incredible relationships.”
But the best has truly yet to come for World of My Own followers. “The next collection I want to dive into that original Alice in Wonderland idea and see where it takes me,” says Syd. “More hats and more accessories are definitely on the agenda.” In terms of goals for the long run, Sydney will move forward to study fashion and business and has her heart set on a World of My Own fashion show—we can’t wait to see the results!
To stay up to date with Sydney make sure to follow @worldofmyownbysydwek on Instagram and check out her website.
