Phoenix Fashion Designer Anya Melkozernova: 100 Creatives

Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city’s creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year’s Best of Phoenix issue, we’re profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 17. Anya Melkozernova.

To call Anya Melkozernova a night owl is an understatement.

The 27-year-old designer, who’s based in Phoenix and originally from Russia, is behind Looks Good Anya Fashion. Melkozernova says she spends her nights sewing from about 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. That’s when the ASU alum isn’t keeping up with her social media followers, coordinating photoshoots, or marathoning Law & Order.

See also: Jon Arvizu of Trapdoor Studio in Scottsdale: 100 Creatives

“Currently, my biggest project is Through The Keyhole, an ongoing collaboration between my fashion line Looks Good Anya Fashion and Oliver Hibert,” Melkozernova says, adding that the “goal is to work with as many artists as possible in the course of my lifetime.”

She says that she’s always on the hunt for support for such projects. “Luckily, I have an arsenal of incredibly creative friends in the local art community, and the next chapter of this project is in the works with local artist Sierra Joy Stewart.”

It’s unclear when she’ll catch up on sleep, but it sounds like there are a lot of long nights ahead.

I came to Phoenix with two suitcases, my mom and my six year old sister.

I make art because I have a hard time communicating with words.

I’m most productive when the world is asleep.

My inspiration wall is full of people and things that matter most to me, symbols of feelings.

I’ve learned most from adversity and introspection.

Good work should always have superb craftsman ship. If art is message the message has to come through loud and clear, poor craftsmanship muddies the clarity of your expression.

The Phoenix creative scene could use more unity.

See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:

100. Bill Dambrova
99. Niki Blaker
98. Jeff Slim
97. Beth May
96. Doug Bell
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
93. Nicole Royse
92. Ib Andersen
91. Casandra Hernandez
90. Chris Reed
89. Shelby Maticic
88. Olivia Timmons
87. Courtney Price
86. Travis Mills
85. Catrina Kahler
84. Angel Castro
83. Cole Reed
82. Lisa Albinger
81. Larry Madrigal
80. Julieta Felix
79. Lauren Strohacker
78. Levi Christiansen
77. Thomas Porter
76. Carrie Leigh Hobson
75. Cody Carpenter
74. Jon Jenkins
73. Aurelie Flores
72. Michelle Ponce
71. Devin Fleenor
70. Noelle Martinez
69. Bucky Miller
68. Liliana Gomez
67. Jake Friedman
66. Clarita Lulić
65. Randy Murray
64. Mo Neuharth
63. Jeremy Hamman
62. La Muñeca
61. Kevin Goldman
60. Emily Costello
59. Kerstin Dale
58. Vara Ayanna
57. Nathaniel Lewis
56. Ruben Gonzales
55. Lisa Poje
54. Bobby Zokaites
53. Frances Smith Cohen
52. Julie Rada
51. David Miller
50. Xanthia Walker
49. Kyllan Maney
48. Cary Truelick
47. Constance McBride
46. James D. Porter
45. Allyson Boggess
44. Abigail Lynch
43. Ashley Cooper
42. Jaclyn Roessel
41. Brandon Boetto
40. Melissa Dunmore
39. Gavin Sisson
38. Rossitza Todorova
37. Monica Robles
36. Josh Kirby
35. Jesse Perry
34. Yai Cecream
33. Nathan Blackwell
32. Carley Conder
31. Ben Willis
30. Nicole Michieli
29. Brian Cresson
28. Tyson Krank
27. Mikey Estes
26. Anwar Newton
25. Sarah “Saza” Dimmick
24. Tato Caraveo
23. Jorge Torres
22. Laura Spalding Best
21. Shawnte Orion
20. Mike Olbinski
19. Christina You-Sun Park
18. Jon Arvizu

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