Life & Work with Jessa Sargent of Cherry Creek

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessa Sargent.

Hi Jessa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Ragdoll Clothing Co. began as a spark from my mom. She glanced down at my homemade Bart patch shittily hand-sewn onto my ripped tank and said, “You should do custom clothing.” A very simple idea that could offer so much opportunity. I had been patching my own clothes with little nick-nack artwork of the Nirvana smiley or some skull graphic but never had I thought of expanding on that. She handed this thought to be the way your grandmother gives you ancient wisdom. It was a small gift with huge potential. As we walked down Adams St. in Burlington, Vermont, I could feel the gears turning in my mind. I returned to Denver and immediately started making a few patches. The beginning stages were very DIY. I was sewing on a bedside table while sitting on a bucket in our basement apartment. One of the biggest upgrades was a $25 table from goodwill and a couple of chairs. My work has evolved a bit into mainly custom jackets. The majority of business is commissioned work for individuals inquiring about a certain image.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have found Denver to be very accepting of young underground artists. The collection of artists here genuinely want to uplift and support each other. If there is competition, it feels positive. In life we are all pushing and inspiring one another to do more and to evolve. For this reason, I feel Ragdoll has had a smooth road. The bumps in the road have all been lessons that are necessary for becoming a business owner.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Ragdoll Clothing Co. specializes in custom one of a kind streetwear including hand-painted patches, studs, fabric designs, and chains. The idea is to have a wearable one of one piece. I am a local herbalist at a Denver apothecary, so my clothing typically reflects the witch aesthetic, but I love to play around with many styles and color schemes.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I am so grateful to my partner for all his encouragement and support. He upgraded my 2004 (4th grade) beginner sewing machine to a 27 stitch Brother this year. There have been many times where he has modeled for photos even though he despises being photographed. Without him, it would have been much harder. My mother taught me to sew and paint when I was very young, and for that I feel very grateful to her. For her wedding to my dad, she hemmed her own wedding dress she found in a thrift store in addition to making from scratch all her bridesmaid dresses. I was lucky to be born into a very artistic family. My Irish twin, Cassidy, also deserves recognition. We have sat for hours together over the years, sprawled across the bedroom floor with paints and beads and supplies of all sorts. I feel she is almost a business partner at this point, even though we live across the country from one another.

Pricing:

• Custom digital prints = $50
• Custom clothing = $125+

Contact Info:

• Email: jessafsargent@gmail.com
• Website: https://jessafsargent.wixsite.com/ragdollclothingco
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ragdoll_______/
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RagdollClothingCo