Creativity: the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, or patterns to create meaningful new ideas. The definition sounds simple, but in actuality it can be difficult to be “new” in a world rife with tradition and structure. Artist and entrepreneur Mariah Hodges has discovered how to burst the bubble of what’s typical in the fashion world with an equal measure of fun and fearlessness.
Mariah walks through a labyrinth of cubicles to get to her studio. It’s a pop of pink in a maze of grey walls, and she’s made the space her own with plenty of sparkles and neon. She created her clothing brand, Electric Bubblegum, immediately after she graduated college and hasn’t looked back since.
“Instead of going after the job (I was totally in the process of applying to big companies in New York) I just didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do,” Mariah says. “I had no idea what I was doing, but I felt like my idea deserved a shot.”
Her idea? Wearable liquid glitter. The idea was conceived when Mariah was brainstorming concepts for her senior project at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Mariah’s muse was her phone case. The object, filled with light pink heart glitter, continually mesmerized her and she became obsessed with the possibility of putting the same sparkly substance into a raincoat.
Fast-forward a few years and Mariah has invented a way to sew liquid glitter into airtight seals, making for a line of captivating dresses, raincoats, keychains, jewelry, and bags. She has channeled every product into her brand, Electric Bubblegum. The name of the brand came from a desire to create something that was girly, but still had an edge to it. And that’s exactly the personality that Mariah’s products embody. Coming in colors like Galactic Mermaid and Atomic Pink, Electric Bubblegum’s products are full of punky pizazz and femininity that captivate people’s vision.
Mariah’s products attract one’s sense of touch as well. It has a jelly-like texture that begs to be felt. For example, take the Liquid Filled Glitter Vest. This item, which has multiple bubbles of stylish, squishy goo, is responsible for Mariah’s first official U.S. Patent: US D884,311 S. This piece of paper makes official what anyone who sees Mariah’s clothes can easily figure out— she’s an original.
“My design perspective, especially with fashion, is that you should always be creating things that push what is already out there,” Mariah says. While Electric Bubblegum is certainly a modern novelty, Mariah draws inspiration from fashion trends that were popular in the 80s and 90s. She is able to hit a nostalgic note with her consumer base, which is mainly comprised of females anywhere from their teen years to their thirties.
Glitter has an even older history. According to the Huffington Post, glitter as we know it was created during the Great Depression by Meadowbrook Inventions. This substance, which has no practical utility, simply exists to make people happy. Now, during yet another time of corporate hardship, Mariah is churning out glitter by the bucketful. Displayed through an increase in sales, people seem to appreciate Mariah’s commitment to create fun, fearless fashion.
“I want people to be fearless when they wear my clothes, meaning that they don’t care about what other people think,” Mariah says. “And it’s supposed to be fun. I just want to create things that make people smile.”
Electric Bubblegum’s designer and custom products can be bought exclusively at https:// www.electricbubblegumshop.com/. Instagram: (electric_bubblegum)