Designs by Sav: a growing local clothing brand

By: Joelle Brassard 

Known simply by their artist name Sav, this young local artist has grown and thrived in Windsor’s arts scene, finding recent success with textile design which led to the birth of Designs by Sav. 

“It all began when I was a kid and would take my mom’s camera to do photoshoots. After high school I really started to get into photoshoots, and I just progressed from there,” said Sav. “More recently I wanted to elevate my photoshoots, so I decided to get a sewing machine and make my own clothes during the pandemic. I started to post my designs and asked if anyone would want to buy them and a good amount of people did so I just continued on with that.” 

The idea has continued to grow over the years with Sav now taking people’s used clothing donations to upcycle and create their works. 

“I also want to preach sustainability because you can turn a piece of clothing you don’t like or wear anymore and create it into something that suits your current vibe which is great for the planet.” said Sav. 

Sav said the idea behind Designs by Sav came very progressively, with their initial conception being just to make clothing for themselves. With time and exposure, the brand began to grow, and Sav said their love for textile design only grew from there. 

Sav wants to spread a message of inclusivity and self-expression with their brand. 

“It’s cool to get people out of their comfort zones and make something that seems bigger in your head become not that big of a deal,” said Sav. “For example, my photoshoot of men in skirts, they’re just clothes at the end of the day and everyone should be able to feel comfortable to have fun with clothing without it being stressful.” 

This message has been amplified and attested by many creatives who have worked on the Designs by Sav team.  

“The best part of working with Sav is you’re always at ease. It’s all smiles and laughter throughout the shoots which makes it easy to stay relaxed and comfortable,” said J Middleton. 

Middleton is a local musician and model for Designs by Sav. 

“It felt very liberating to do the men in skirts photoshoot.” said Middleton. “I love experimenting with clothing so when I was asked if I was comfortable doing a photoshoot in a skirt, I was all over it. Clothes are just clothes and removing gender from the outfit equation only opens the door for more cool looks.” 

The unique and outside the box ideas for photoshoots by Sav has created a space for other creatives to explore their looks and express themselves fully. 

Batoolio is a local artist and musician as well as the founder of the Colors of Resilience program which is a curated exhibit of art done by those affected by homelessness. 

“I find the work we do together is somewhat experimental and out of my comfort zone which I find makes the final product all the more better each time,” said Batoolio. 

Batoolio said working with Sav pushes them to their peak creativity. 

“Sav is a very thoughtful and ready creative, they have such a talent for creating space for others to thrive throughout their projects,” said Batoolio. “I am constantly blown away and inspired by their ability to execute a vision.”  

Batoolio amplified the importance of supporting local artists in the community and how it ends up adding to and creating culture within the city. 

“Local artists are only local for so long,” said Batoolio. “It’s a privilege to be exposed to an artist in their small town before they decide to play in the big leagues.” 

Overall, Sav is taking the local fashion and art community by storm with their designs and innovative photoshoots.  

Sav’s designs can be found for sale for local patrons on their Instagram @designsbysav and for those who need shipping they also have a Depop page under the same name. During the summer season, you can find Designs by Sav pop ups at local markets, with all information also available on Instagram.