On Online: Emily Oatis

emily-oatis_dscn1566_2Where do you live? Vail, Colorado

Area of study: MFA Fashion Merchandising.

Day job / occupation: High-end retail.

What qualities do you most value in others? Loyalty, integrity, and the insatiable need for knowledge.

Name three of your favorite designers, journalists, bloggers, stores, etc.: Tory Burch, Garance Dore, Bill Cunningham.

List a guilty pleasure: Picking my nose (just joking) — but really — Netflix Instant Play. Whether it’s the flu, a bad breakup or just another Tuesday night, having a video library at my fingertips is a definite lazy guilty pleasure!

What is your present state of mind? Energized. Since starting the MFA program I have found a new mental energy reserve. I love the feeling that checking into each module gives me!

What is your dream job? To bring textile manufacturing and clothing construction back to the
United States.

What is the most important thing that people should know about you? That I think the most important things in life are relationships.

When was the first time you recognized your interest in fashion? I just never grew out of playing dress-up and that’s ok with me!

Where have you found inspiration lately? In the mountains, the sky, the canyons of my landscape. The vibrancy of colors here only serves to wet my appetite for aesthetics. There is nothing simpler or cleaner than the Southwestern landscape.

What is your most valued possession? My bookshelf. It’s filled with momentos, tools, tracing paper, maps, colored pencils, and of course, books. I’m an avid collector of resources, and can’t help but scribble and mark up all the books I love!

What music do you like to listen to? I love the Avett Brothers, Mumford and Son, Chromeo, Ratatat, Kid Cudi, Blondie, Pat Benetar. Anything that puts a smile on my face and gets my blood pumping.

If you had an opportunity to travel back in time, who would you like to meet, and why? Georgia O’Keefe. Right now her paintings and color choice are a huge inspiration for me. Having just traveled to New Mexico, I would love to pick her brain on how she saw her world.

For more of On Online, click here