Today we have the pleasure of sharing one of our favorite creative businesses with you all! Amber Sol Collective is a female-owned design group in Los Angeles, California, specializing in styling and atmospheric design for events, interiors, sets, trade shows, and more. With Amber Sol Collective an upscale bohemian design eye meets curated detail for every perfect moment. Scroll on to meet the two talented women behind the powerhouse that makes up Amber Sol!
Top Image via Lesley Castle Photo
No. 01
We’re dying to know how the dream of Amber Sol Collective came to life! How did you get started and when was the “aha” moment when you knew this was an idea you had to move forward with?
Well to be honest, we had quite a few “aha” moments! We got started by working together, managing an artists’ company, working side by side in a studio every day. We were constantly amazed at how well we worked together while also gradually becoming best friends. Our first “aha” moment came in conversation while making art at our 9-5, where we realized our differences in artistic styles seriously complimented each other and just how much we thrived off of each other’s bad-ass-boss energy. Our second “aha” moment was truly a serendipitous sign when Victoria was offered a big job that she realized required a partner. We were thrown into collaborating for a project bigger than either of us had handled before and the outcome was a total dream. The natural levels of partnership, the final execution, and the creative flow that came from it were beyond our greatest expectations and we knew then and there that we had a business blooming.
No. 02
Where did the name Amber Sol Collective come from?
Being the flower children that we are, we wanted a name that matched our vibe and captured our essence; our upscale bohemian aesthetic, our funky flare, our colorful and sunny, warm energy. (“Amber” MAY have also been inspired by the colors of our long hippie hair…) Sol represented a double entendre for the California sun that we live for and the SOUL that we put into our craft. Amber Sol Collective embodies the warmth and passion that we aspire to bring to life in every project and speaks to our goals of highlighting and collaborating with other creatives.
Image via Lesley Castle Photo
No. 03
Starting a business in 2020 must have been… a lot! How did you pivot and what was the biggest lesson learned?
Oh man, where to start… we had only officially launched Amber Sol in January and had been on this crazy upward trajectory of networking and starting to make real business connections when Covid hit and the world abruptly shut down. As event stylists and interior designers who rely on human interaction and productions of varying sizes, as our industry crumbled, we absolutely experienced a grieving period with it. Not only was the state of the world in such a devastating and scary place, but we had no idea if and when we would be working again. It definitely took a month or two of processing and brainstorming to even get to a place where we felt able to sit down and start restructuring. The pivot happened once we were able to accept the reality of the situation, and with that came the lesson; rolling with the punches. As the news was ever-changing, there really wasn’t any stability to hang onto and plan around. So all we could do was accept that, and learn to adapt and do so quickly.
No. 04
Have you ever found yourself in a creative rut while being a new business owner? If so, how did you work through it?
2020 in itself felt like one long creative rut, and we were constantly battling with the lesson we mentioned above; how do you roll with the punches when nothing is normal and “real life” can’t exist for the time being? The answer is, self-care, patience, and communication with your business partner. It was not an easy year for us, as individuals and as a team, and we had to constantly remind ourselves that we were earning our stripes with every change and adaptation. We refused to let the spirit of events and celebrations go, as that is the heart and soul of our company, while also accepting that the industry would not be opening back up for a long time. We were determined to find ways to still bring beauty and joy to people, in Covid-safe ways. So we let ourselves feel all the feels, cry and talk it out incessantly, and (over time) we finally reached a place where not only did we start to feel inspired and excited about what we COULD do, but we realized so many doors we had not noticed before, were wide open. That’s when the creative juices really started flowing back in.
Image via Lesley Castle Photo
No. 05
What is your “I’ve made it when” moment?
We’ll know we’ve made it when: we start working with artists and publications that we’ve been looking up to, been inspired by, and have been dreaming of being featured in. Basically, when our heroes want to start working with us, we’ll know we’ve done some things right! But we’ve definitely had lots of glimpses and mini-moments already that have made us feel so proud and inspired for the future of Amber Sol.
QUICK ?’S
Favorite interesting snack:
A: Mochi ice cream
V: Pickles! I even named my dog after them…
Where you feel the most productive:
A: I feel the most productive in the late mornings, working from the couch, with a cup of coffee and my checklist ready to guide me.
V: When I’m in the middle of creating and making things and I see my ideas start coming to life.
All-time favorite app:
A: Tik Tok is my go-to for a good laugh and to help me not be in work mode all the time.
V: As much as I hate to say it, Instagram. And also Pinterest! My explore page is so targeted to me that it’s always showing me a variety of new artists, home decor, architecture, places I want to travel to, and animals – it keeps me inspired and curious.
Favorite way to unwind after a busy week:
A: Spending time outside. At a park, the beach, on a hike.
V: Pre-covid: At a show/concert with my friends listening to music and dancing. Covid times either
out in nature or cooking something great and snuggling on the couch with my dog while bingeing HBO