Taeste Buddies: Nia Thomas
The designer on Mexico City flea markets, a Carrie Bradshaw-inspired find, and an exclusive new launch.
Welcome to another edition of Taeste Buddies. It’s a bi-weekly interview series that explores the idea of taste: How it’s shaped by our identities and spurred by our creativity. Each edition I chat with someone whose taste I admire, whether as a friend or from afar.
In February I ran into Nia Thomas at the Black In Fashion Council showroom, debuting a collection that ended up being one of my favorites of the entire week. Nia is known for her cool knit and crochet pieces, which are all handmade at her studio in Mexico City. But, getting to see her work in person, to touch it and even try it on, there were so many ways I saw her pushing the boundaries of “resortwear.” On the spot I asked her if she’d ever consider being interviewed for my newsletter and not only did she say yes, she emailed me about it the next day! More on her collections, living in Mexico City, and her expert-level thrifting below.
One last note: if you’re looking to shop her brand, some of my current favorite pieces are this insane bikini top and bottom, and the Gisele crochet dress for layering over jeans or as a swim coverup.
How do you define your personal taste? What makes "good" taste?
My personal taste is a constantly evolving reflection of my experiences as a curvy Black woman navigating the world, and it changes with each passing year. I embrace the opportunity to take risks with my wardrobe, allowing my mood to inspire my choices.
In my view, what constitutes “good” taste is the willingness to explore and try new things without hesitation. This adventurous spirit prevents my style from becoming stale, and I believe that dynamic approach is the essence of good taste.
Where do you think your sense of taste comes from?
My sense of taste and perspective is influenced by reference and observation. As a cinephile, I find inspiration in the visual language of film. Whether it’s a striking costume from a French film like La Noire De… by Ousmane Sembene, a vintage dress I discover at a flea market in Lisbon, or a beautiful flower I encounter on my way home, I make it a point to pause and take note. Each of these experiences is meticulously documented in my mental rolodex.
Since I was a child, trying to find different avenues of self expression has always felt really natural to me. I would save up lemonade money from the summer and subscribe to every single magazine. Back when it was $1 for the year, I remember getting the little cardboard cards and my mom would mail them in. I would be reading Teen Vogue and Allure cover to cover, and I'd write down notes in my little pink notebook with my fuzzy pen. I took it very seriously.
What was the last great thing you purchased?
The last remarkable purchase I made was a John Galliano newsprint dress, which I discovered at a vintage pop-up shop in Paris during fashion week. Each time I wear it, I imagine myself strolling in slow motion, reminiscent of that iconic scene in Sex and the City when she gracefully departs from the restaurant after confronting Natasha.
I was leaving my showroom in the evening, and I was exhausted. We were walking on Rue de Notre Dame, which is a street that has trendy shops and a lot of vintage pop ups, and we walked past this one that was bursting out onto the street, with people drinking wine in little paper cups outside — such a vibe. I was so tired and hungry, but my friend wanted to go inside for five minutes. We ended up staying 45.
It's really hard for me to find vintage that fits me really well. Everything is super tiny, especially shopping in France. I don't think they're fat phobic, I think people are just tinier there. So when I find something that fits me right and the price is really good, I have to buy it.
What is something you’ve made that you’re proud of?
I recently unveiled my Autumn/Winter 2025 collection. I brought to life this 18 look collection in just two months, a feat made possible through the dedicated efforts of 15 skilled artisans who worked tirelessly alongside me.
The two month timeline wasn’t fully my fault because I did a group fashion show in February that was sponsored by McDonald's. Not only did they sponsor the show, but they gave each of us designers money to produce our collections. When you work with these bigger corporations, everything takes a minute, and I'm not used to that, because I'm not working in a corporate structure, obviously.
The money was direct deposited into my account at the end of November. In December, we had a pop up that had already been planned months in advance, so we had to make stock for that. Then, I give the artisans two weeks paid vacation at the end of the year. It's a thank you for working hard all year, because they're burnt out. Also, I'm burnt out. The holidays are usually the only time that I get to take a break, because the summers are our busy months. I came back and all of sudden, it’s go time.
We were working with new materials like leather for the first time and realizing that when it's knit, it doesn't stretch the same way that a cotton dress does. So I bought enough leather cording for a floor length dress with sleeves, and then it was actually only enough for a crop top. We had to get really scrappy, but it’s these things that people don't know because they're all behind the scenes. I was really excited about working with ribbon because everyone was saying, “I've never seen this before or done in this way.” That's a huge compliment.
What’s something fun you’ve made outside of work?
I’ve been getting back into cooking. One of my really good friends told me “I'm not going to talk to you unless you go see my nutritionist, because she's going to change her life.” I was like, “I don't need to see a nutritionist, I know she's going to tell me to eat more vegetables.” But she's actually has changed my life, she has helped me so much with my insomnia and my digestion.
There's a lot more access to getting fresh food here. There's a huge Farmer’s Market on Sundays, and you have never tasted a real strawberry until you taste a strawberry from there.
How do you describe your personal style?
This is usually what I wear when I'm running errands. I should probably be wearing my brand and repping, but I just love an oversized men's shirt. I got this from a vintage store in Portugal that only sold vintage silk shirts. It’s so specific, but I bought five of them in different colors and have worn them to death. I love styling it with a short when it's hot out, and these men's loafers that I found in a thrift store in my parents hometown for like $5. I style it up with jewelry sometimes, but this is my feeling really comfortable and getting things done uniform.
I buy a lot of vintage. The quality is just so much better than what you're finding on the market now. I even buy vintage to look at how things were finished on the inside, and I can bring that to my seamstress and say, “this is how we're gonna bind off the seams inside this jacket,” or “this is how I want the hem of all of our silk dresses to be sewn.”
What do you wear the most?
I love Mara. She's a good friend. This popcorn silhouette had a moment for her. I always wear this dress when I just want to feel confident, but also sexy… put together, yet comfortable. Whenever I wear it people stop me in the street. It's just so easy, you can style it with flats or with heels, with different necklaces… I love to wear a trench coat over it in the fall with boots.
How has your work inspired or informed your personal style or vice versa?
They are almost one and the same. I am approaching my 30s and I’ve been playing with this idea in my personal life of dressing like a “grown up” and what that means to me. I was going through a deep dive on The Real Real and I was making a mood board of how I want to dress in my 30s, and it's very different from how I'm dressing now. It's a lot of vintage Diane von Furstenburg wrap dresses and Donna Karan coats and just feels more mature.
I’m exploring mohair sweater sets and tailored suiting and I’m excited to play with these motifs within my work. Figuring out how I can offer my customers something that feels evolved to where I am at in my life right now while staying true to the core values of my brand identity.
Tell me about the experience of building your own brand … What does "success" mean to you?
I was just 23 when I embarked on this journey, and reflecting on that time is quite humbling. While I held a BFA in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, I was unaware of how to stage a fashion show, develop a website, work with manufactures, or initiate wholesaling.
I did a lot of internships while I was at FIT. I did one with Rodarte, I did one with KRD imports, they do Chico's and White House Black Market, and one with Gypsy Sport. My last full time job, I was working at Macy's. I was designing basically pajamas for grandmas, private label sleepwear. It was really nice to have a stable paycheck, but after a while I dreaded going to work because there was no creativity. I left with $2,000 of savings in my account. I've never had a full time job since then.
My path has been filled with imposter syndrome, limited resources, and the burnout that arises from juggling multiple roles single-handedly. Chief among these challenges is the saturation of the industry today. The landscape has shifted dramatically; it has become increasingly a "pay-to-play" environment, where retailers, sponsors, press, and celebrities are less willing to take risks on emerging designers than they were in previous decades.
My definition of success has evolved each year of running my business. Currently, I define success as the ability to create meaningful, wearable art that brings joy and resonates with others. I went to my friend's vintage store in Mexico City a couple weeks ago, and this woman came in and she was like “You're Nia Thomas? I bought a dress from you five years ago, whenever I wear it I get amazing compliments.” I was embarrassed, but I was like, “wow, people actually give a shit what I'm doing.” If I can achieve this while continuing to learn and grow, and manage to pay all my bills on time, then I consider that true success.
What’s your current hobby?
I find immense inspiration and excitement in gardening. I was walking on this major street in Mexico City called Reforma around the holiday time, and there was this woman selling plants and herbs for $1 each. I bought 20. I've taken to cultivating a wide variety of herbs and creating my own tea blends; currently, my favorite is a soothing combination of mint and lavender.
It's a reminder when I'm taking care of these plants to also take care of myself. I used to wake up at 7am and immediately check my phone and start answering emails. Suddenly it is 10am and I haven't drunk any water, haven't showered, haven't eaten anything, my hands are shaking, I'm anxious. I wasn’t starting the day nurturing myself, so that's been a shift.
I've been embracing more self-care practices, including acupuncture and studying holistic medicine during my leisure time. I've been thoroughly enjoying different YouTube videos from naturopathic doctors and content offered by the Glucose Goddess. This exploration has become a fulfilling passion of mine, enriching both my mind and well-being.
What’s most precious to you?
I really love this crochet cap. I bought it from this woman who sells very coquette-core vintage at the market. It's every Sunday, called La Laguinilla. I want to ask her where she finds these things, but I know she'll never tell me. She told me it’s a sleeping cap that women would wear in the 1970s. It has a little tea stain on the back, and it was only $30. I wear it when I'm bopping around, and people think it's from the brand.
Also, my friend Maria has this brand called Crudo Caan, and she made this necklace for me. We did an exchange, I gave her some crochet stuff, she made me some jewelry. I got to choose pretty much all the beads on the necklace, but she arranged them and made it so beautifully. It’s one of a kind, no one else in the world has this necklace.
What’s something unexpected you have really good taste in?
I have cultivated a keen sense of taste in interior design. Friends and family frequently seek my advice when decorating. In my own home, I’ve taken on various projects… building new windows, tables, and shelves… I have a passion for home improvement. Perhaps this affinity was inherited from my mother, who is obsessed with HGTV.
It's also really nice to have friends that are creative in different ways, different mediums, and we can encourage and challenge and inspire each other to put our best work forward. These photos are from my friend Esteban's studio. He designs and upcycles all the furniture. His brand is called Azotea. I feel like I'm very inspired by his use of color. He's always encouraging me, he says, “you need to put more color in the collection.” Neutrals and quiet luxury is what sells, but I have been putting more color in the collection, and it's been selling too.
Tell me about this photo you shared in a crochet headdress!
I was at my friend's vintage store and found this veil from the 1930s. I’m like how do we make this new and modern? I'm going to start working on a bridal collab [Aemilia’s note: exclusive on Substack! haha]. Very new, very teeny when it's done, probably for next year. There's so much money and interest in the bridal market right now, that's the number one request I've been getting.
Once I had to bike from Bushwick to Greenpoint to hand deliver a piece to someone who was about to get in the Uber to go to JFK for her honeymoon. I thought, “Okay, I need to get this shit to her right now.” I wonder how much longer I'll be able to do that. I love it. Not only does she have it, but I know that she's going to be a dedicated customer for life, because she knows that we have great customer service.
Can you share a few recommendations that you’re excited about?
I love recommending cool things to friends!
A brand I adore is MICHELLE DEL RIO. This Colombian-Mexican designer, now based in Paris, creates exquisitely chic clothing characterized by beautiful design details, all available at an attractive price point.
Additionally, I am particularly obsessed with the podcasts “The Cutting Room Floor" and "How I Built This." I also love audiobooks, as they provide the perfect companion while I tend to household chores.
Lastly, for vintage finds, I've been indulging in late night deep dives on searching for Plain Sud dresses and 90s Donna Karan coats from The RealReal. It's a treasure trove for anyone who loves the hunt aspect of unique vintage.
Nia's TRR finds
That’s all this week, thanks for reading!