Long before her designs appeared at Nordstrom, Jovana Mullins was a Kansas City girl sketching dresses, a talent her first-grade teacher noticed.
“She told my mom that one day she would buy my designs at Bloomingdale’s,” Mullins said. “We haven’t made it to Bloomingdale’s yet, but seeing Alivia carried at Nordstrom has certainly felt like a special full-circle moment.”
Today, the Kansas City native is the founder and creative director of Alivia, a contemporary fashion brand that transforms artwork created by artists with disabilities into thoughtfully designed collections. The brand has earned national recognition for pairing elevated design with a mission that celebrates creativity and inclusion.
Growing up in Kansas City, Mullins was surrounded by people who encouraged her creativity from an early age. At 13, her grandmother taught her to sew, giving her the skills to turn her sketches into garments. Throughout high school, she designed dresses for friends, created her own prom and homecoming gowns and organized fashion shows that raised money for a nonprofit she founded.
“Looking back, those experiences taught me that fashion could be more than beautiful clothing. It could bring people together and create meaningful impact,” she says.
Entrepreneurship was also part of everyday life. Her family includes several business owners, including the family behind the beloved Jasper’s Italian Restaurant, where she watched firsthand how genuine relationships and exceptional service create lasting success.
“I watched firsthand how going above and beyond to provide an excellent customer experience and building genuine relationships creates something much bigger than a business. It creates a legacy,” she says.
After graduating from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Mullins moved to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design. She later designed for renowned fashion houses including Matthew Williamson, Diane von Furstenberg, Alice + Olivia, COACH and Cynthia Rowley.
Although she enjoyed her career in fashion, she felt called to use her talents in a different way. That moment came in 2018 while volunteering with an organization serving young adults with autism.
“I was completely blown away by their artwork,” she says. “Their paintings weren’t just beautiful. They were deeply expressive. I experienced what I can only describe as a God moment,” she says. “I had spent my career turning my own artwork into fashion prints, and suddenly I realized I could combine my love of fashion, art and serving others into one purpose-driven brand.”
Rather than asking artists to create fashion-specific artwork, Alivia celebrates the work they are already creating, preserving each artist’s authentic style while translating it into wearable designs.
Each collection begins with an artist’s original work, whether watercolor paintings, marker drawings or mixed-media creations. Every artist is paid for the use of their work, and 10 percent of sales are donated to their associated nonprofit.
The upcoming fall collection carries another connection to the Midwest. It features artwork by Grace Reber, an artist with Down syndrome who spent part of her childhood in Kansas City before moving to Oklahoma City.
“Her signature watercolor florals and abstract paintings inspired vibrant prints throughout the collection,” Mullins says. “We even transformed portions of her paintings into embroidered details on denim, dresses and novelty collars.”
Today, Alivia’s collections are carried by Nordstrom and specialty retailers across the country, introducing customers to the artists behind each collection while demonstrating how inclusive design and exceptional fashion can exist side by side.
“I hope we’re helping shift the conversation from disability to ability,” she says. “Every artist we work with is incredibly talented, and we want the world to recognize them first as artists.”
As Alivia continues to grow, Mullins hopes to create career opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the company, building inclusion into every part of the business.
Along the way, Mullins has remained committed to one guiding principle.
“Start with purpose, but never sacrifice excellence,” she says. “Your mission may be what first captures someone’s attention, but your product is what earns their trust.”
She believes beautiful design and meaningful impact can exist together, allowing every collection to tell a story while standing on its own as exceptional fashion.
As Alivia prepares to unveil its newest fall collection, Mullins continues to expand opportunities for artists with disabilities while staying rooted in the values she learned growing up in Kansas City. With every collection, she is opening doors for artists, reshaping perceptions and proving that creativity has the power to connect people in lasting and meaningful ways.
“I had spent my career turning my own artwork into fashion prints, and suddenly I realized I could combine my love of fashion, art and serving others into one purpose-driven brand.”