Featured Crafter: Neighbor Teaze

We occasionally like to bring out a feature on the blog called Featured Crafter. Clever, right? And this time around, we have the ever fabulous and crafty Julia DiNardo. She creates a Pittsburgh-based t-shirt line called Neighbor Teaze.

We got a hold of her, held her down, and forced her to answer some great questions about her craft. Here’s what she had to say:

What inspired you to pursue the t-shirt design business?
It was a complete accident! My background is in fashion design, fashion marketing, and journalism, and I had an idea to do a few neighborhood-based tees at my trunk show at Sugar Boutique in 2005. I figured out how to do graphics and make the South Side and Lawrenceville tees, and they were such a hit that I folded the clothing line and now just design the tees (now there are 14 styles available).

How long have you been selling neighbor teaze?
Since 2005, and now have 10 retailers carrying the Neighbor Teaze brand in the ‘burgh.

It’s clear that Pittsburgh and the surrounding neighborhoods play a large role in your work. What are some of your favorite spots?
I grew up in Highland Park, so it has a special spot in my heart (especially the Farm House), Flagstaff, driving through the Allegheny Cemetery in the fall, PNC Park & the Warhol.

Do you have a “day job”?
(Sigh) – about three! I run the online fashion publication Fashion Pulse Daily, do freelance fashion writing and social media & marketing consulting, and teach part-time at New York University (fashion marketing & fashion journalism).

Tell us about a typical day in your crafting life.
Well…it depends on the time of year, and day, but it can involve anything from making hang tags to sourcing for new eco-friendly, sustainable products to use (Neighbor Teaze is eco-friendly), billing, invoicing, brainstorming, and designing! I honestly couldn’t do it all without the help of my Neighbor Teaze partners-in-crime, which include my parents and assistant Julie.

What do you find most challenging about being an independent business owner?
I think its hard to come up with the funds to do everything that I want to do, and keep all of the sizes of the tees in stock and a place to store them! As Neighbor Teaze has expanded, so has its offerings which now include unisex tees, toddler tees, onesies, totes, and long sleeves. Angel Investors – are you out there? ?

What advice would you give to someone entering the crafting world?
The advice that I would give is to develop both your creative and business sensibilities, along with your moral ones. Being an independent means you don’t just make the product, but have to keep in mind providing good customer service, making financial decisions and standing behind your product.

From a moral standpoint, I’ve made decisions to have a higher-quality, sustainable product because that is really important for me to endorse, even if it means lower profits – I think its good to evaluate what is important to you, and what you absolutely will not compromise.

What is the one tool you couldn’t live without?
Hands down, my MacBook!

Favorite movie or TV Show?
Not too big on TV, but I do enjoy Project Runway & Gossip Girl every now and then.

Favorite book?
Deluxe by Dana Thomas

Favorite food?
A ‘pizza’ pretzel from The Pretzel Shop on E. Carson Street/South Side

Do you show your work locally?
Yes! I just had a trunk show at The Picket Fence in Shadyside Halloween weekend, and the next event will be during the Lawrenceville Cookie Tour at Sugar Boutique the weekend of December 5th & 6th, where I will launch limited edition Pittsburgh long sleeve tees.

Upcoming events:
Neighbor Teaze Trunk Show at Sugar Boutique
date: Saturday, December 5th, & Sunday, December 6th
location: Sugar Boutique
time: 10-6pm Saturday, 11-3pm Sunday

Neighbor Teaze at the Holiday I Made It! Market
date: Saturday, December 5th
location: Union Project
time: 12pm-5pm

Famous last words?
You can take the ‘Burgher out of Pittsburgh, but you can’t take away her accent

(I go back and forth between NYC and Pittsburgh – I love it when I make friends with other Pittsburgh expats in NYC and we all comfortably slip into Pittsburghese around each other!)

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Starting in 2001 with her eponymous womens wear label Julia DiNardo, she later segued into t-shirt and handbag design followed by writing and later editing within the fashion industry, working with a variety of prestigious brands and publications such as GQ, Redbook, Liz Claiborne, and J.Crew.

With a bachelor’s degree from New York University in fashion marketing and Italian, and a Masters from Columbia, Pittsburgh native Julia DiNardo is proud of her upbringing and brings back to the city her Pittsburgh-based Neighbor Teaze collection of witty and humorous tees.

Julia can be found several nights a week on NYU’s campus where she continues to teach, pens www.fashionpulsedaily.com as well as continues to freelance and consult for a variety of fashion magazines and websites.