Photos by Vania Evangelique
Imani Batts is a sustainable fashion designer based in Pittsburgh who specializes in upcycling clothing and repurposing vintage and thrifted pieces. Batts earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Small Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Inspired by her personal journey, Batts also enjoys using nontraditional materials to create and tell stories through fashion.
Batts is living out her childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer and is the owner of the boutique Catherine Trendz. In 2023, she launched the Get Ready With Me collection (GRWM) to authentically showcase her relationship with the beauty supply store and her hair journey.
In the interview below, Batts, who successfully completed the BOOM Residency in September 2024 at Radiant Hall, shares her journey in fashion and her passion for incorporating sustainable practices.
Q: Can you share some of your background in fashion? Where and what did you study?
I feel like I’ve been a fashionista my whole entire life. I have wanted to be a fashion designer since I was in kindergarten, so I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be in the fashion world. My parents put the sewing machine in front of me and utilized many resources, like Project Runway, and others for me to indulge into the fashion world. Within that, I ended up going to Indiana University of Pennsylvania for fashion merchandising and minoring in small business administration.
What inspired you to apply for the BOOM Concepts residency at Radiant Hall?
My inspiration was that BOOM is for the people, by the people and I think that’s very important in Pittsburgh right now. Making sure that we are supporting each other and not looking for validation from other people that may not really understand our culture. I feel like BOOM Concepts really does outreach and pulls people in to give them resources and help mold them into the artists that they want to be without controlling them. I really do appreciate that.
How has the BOOM Concepts residency at Radiant Hall impacted your brand Catherine Trendz?
The BOOM Concepts residency impacted Catherine Trendz by widening my network, adding more resources, and making sure that I know that there are so many possibilities out there that I wasn’t aware of.
As a fashion designer, what sparked your interest in sustainability and upcycling second-hand garments?
I believe that clothes deserve a second chance just like we do. Personally, I feel like as Black people, we’ve been sustainable our entire lives. I feel like it’s very important to keep the clothing cycle in rotation instead of it being a linear process. If we try to keep it as circular as possible, we can remove as much clothing and textiles in the landfills as possible. For my business, I really want to try to keep that circular movement within clothing.
What are some of your favorite non-traditional materials you like to use to create?
I’m going to go with what inspired me with the GRWM collection, and that is with items from the beauty supply store. For that personal collection, it’s upcycling stuff from the beauty supply store, like beads, bamboo earrings, and barrettes. They’re things that are very nostalgic when it comes to Black hair. I really wanted to embrace my upbringing with items from that particular space. I honestly feel like the pieces in the collection are considered artwork.
Tell me about the development of the Get Ready With Me collection. What message are you trying to communicate from it?
It started with my lock journey. When I got my locks, I felt like I was just my natural self, like this is me. This is what I’ve been wanting to feel for a long time with my crown. I realized the beauty supply store was my second home and I would go when I was feeling sad, needed something or just to explore. I feel like others have the same story, but no one was really talking about it through clothing.
I wanted to implement that in a creative way. One day, I went to the beauty supply store and picked out things that reminded me of my journey from childhood to womanhood—wearing barrettes, ballies, and beads as a little girl, then growing into a sophisticated, bold, loud, and proud woman. The GRWM collection captures the evolution of Black culture and identity, using bold and expressive clothing to tell the story of that transformation.
You also teach sewing classes. Can you share more about this experience?
Yes, I do think it’s very important to teach people how to care for their clothing or who just want to explore a different craft.
I teach classes to teens right now about sustainability and eventually upcycling using the sewing machine. That’s where my core passion is right now because those years are really pivotal. I know when I was in middle school, it was a requirement to have home economics and it involved sewing. That was one of the things that allowed me to explore this craft.
What are your goals for the future with Catherine Trendz?
I would love to continue to make bigger and better workshops for kids to understand sustainability and upcycling. Eventually, I would love to go to New York Fashion Week and showcase some work there, and just make an impact in the community in whatever way that is. I would love to have my own storefront. It’s a blessing that I’m in a store right now called Boheme — but to actually have a Catherine Trendz store would be really dope for events, sewing classes and also selling merchandise.
Click here to learn more about Imani Batts and her brand Catherine Trendz.
Maia Williams is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. She is also a social justice advocate and hopes to use her words to spread awareness and influence change in society. X: Maia_J_
This residency has been supported by Arts, Equity, & Education Fund
