Charmed Magazine

Interview by Jordan Zeman|

His website states it best, claiming to provide “Accessories, Clothing and Trendsetting”. Steven, “Stevie Boi,” Strawder is more than a designer. He is a purveyor of the latest and most unique in the fashion world. Evolving from his 2007 clothing line, T0xic, SB accessories and clothing has become a steadily growing and successful brand name. Catering to everyone from local kids on the scene to big name celebrities, Stevie Boi has launched his career into the stratosphere by designing pieces that are accessible to everyone and that are standouts in a crowd. With boutiques both here in Maryland and in Japan selling his products with great success there will surely be more from this young trendsetter. Stevie Boi gives Charmed Magazine the inside scoop on his new collection and fills us in on how to get his unique style.

Charmed | What drew you to design eye-wear?
I had a clothing line before and decided I wanted to do something more creative with accessories. One day I was working with fabric, wearing safety glasses and some glue happened to stick the two together. I thought, “Wow this is really interesting” and decided to go with the idea.

Charmed | What is it like to have your designs sold in both North America and Japan?
I love it! I’m working on getting them sold in more places right now, but having them sold anywhere is beautiful. I will definitely expand my market more because my product is very affordable and I want it to reach places besides North America and Japan. I am thinking about marketing them in places like India and Africa.

Charmed | What celebrities have worn/modeled your designs?
Eva Marcille Pigford (winner of America’s Next Top Model, Season 3) has modeled my designs. They have also been worn by Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Shaun Ross, the only African American male model with albinism on the scene.

Charmed | What sparked your interest in designing clothing and accessories?
I grew up in Europe because my parents are in the military, and everything over there is a lot more edgy. It’s typical to see a 7 year old wearing platform shoes and a leather jacket. Moving to America and seeing how people dressed differently was interesting. My European influences helped me and pushed me to be different. I naturally stand out but I always find new ways of getting attention.

Charmed | Did you ever design for your friends before you designed professionally?
Originally, I only designed for myself. A close friend of mine said, “Steven, why don’t you bring this to the mass market?” and it was as simple as that. I wanted other people to wear my designs, and I can make money by making glasses for other people. The next thing I know I am making products for local celebrities and building a clientele. The first clients I worked for were the Get Em Mamis (a local rap duo) who wore my glasses and bags.

Charmed | How does living in Maryland influence your work?
Living over seas definitely showed me a bigger, broader view. Living in the U.S.A. doesn’t really inspire me to do what I do, but I love the environment of Baltimore. I think it has a strong cultural sense to it. I do feel like I am in Paris a little bit when I am in Baltimore because of the architecture. I guess it does help artistically because I feel comfortable.

Charmed | Have you ever taken design classes or is all of your work self-taught?
I am completely self-taught.

Charmed | What relationships have you made through your designs?
Myself, the way I look at marketing, I don’t want to advertise to a certain group…I just go with the flow. I don’t try to make it too exclusive; I try to market in a way where everyone can wear it. My designs are for people that want to be different and stand out. You can even wear it as a costume as long as you buy it, haha. My business connections overseas I will stay with, but I get so many offers here that I will only accept the most practical ones.

Charmed | Which professional designers influence you the most?
I am going to be attending New York Fashion Week and one designer I was going to collaborate with but ran out of time was Pam Hogg. She is a really big inspiration to me. Her things are so true to heart and she uses great fabrics.

Charmed | Where is your favorite place in Maryland to shop for clothes or accessories?
I would have to say thrift stores, because now I make my own clothes and use what I can find in them. It makes it very affordable. Back in the day, I used to go anywhere that had high end and pay, like, $300 for a jacket. Now I think the best places in MD to shop are inner city Baltimore thrift stores. I am also into military thrift stores with uniform pieces that haven’t even been worn yet.

Charmed | Where do you see the most stylish people in Maryland?
You know, I believe Maryland is a country, I don’t believe it is a state. I love Maryland. At first I hated it, then I moved to Baltimore and it changed everything. It was like a secret that I had been let in on. I think the best dressed people are in the inner city because they know how to save and be creative with what they wear. People don’t know what they can do. It’s amazing to see what outfits you can make with the limited things you have at your house.

Charmed | How do you promote your designs both here and overseas?
I contacted the VMA’s and told them I wanted my glasses to be in the gift bags at their event. I pitched my idea out and told them that I want to donate them for free. For overseas, obviously I can’t travel back and forth every week, so I call and email back and forth. I exchange information and let them know that I am really concerned about it. Instead of paying to have my products put in things like music videos, I just tell the artist to go shopping on my website and I will send the product out for free. The paparazzi will just take pictures of it for free instead of worrying about getting it in a video.

Charmed | What is your biggest inspiration that isn’t fashion related?
I was going to say Grace Jones but she is fashion related, very much. I love uniquely shaped objects and certain things that you will see at art galleries that pop out to me. I love hard rock music and I think that inspires me. When you think of rock music no one thinks of flowers or smiley faces, only dark things. You can listen to a band like Korn and close your eyes and see things. If you gave me a song and asked me to create the music video I could tell you exactly how it would be, who would wear what, so that influences me.

Charmed | I read that you grew up in a variety of places, what sets Baltimore style apart from others?
Baltimore definitely has their own style in the urban community. It’s like a preppy mixed with an urban chic type thing. Like the hippie thing in Baltimore, oh my gosh, I love that! The girls that walk around in the dirty jeans and the cut-up T-shirts. I love the hippies ones and the hip-hop ones. The attitude is so “whatever”.

Charmed | How do you begin the design process for a pair of glasses?
Before, I used to sketch and then I realized sketching doesn’t work for me, because you are just trying to mimic an image in your mind. Personally, that is a downfall for me, trying to make it exactly like it is in your mind on paper. I don’t sketch anymore. I will just think of it and start making it hands on, just get to it.

Charmed | What do you think will be the next trend in accessories?
My glasses! I believe that my glasses have potential, they’ve been everywhere. Fashion always comes back though, it’s a rotating cycle. The fashion industry is just going to keep rolling around unless someone comes up with something new and that is my job.

Charmed | Do you have any plans to expand your company?
I plan on having a full line of clothing out. I am going to shoot a couple of pieces for people to see a teaser and I am very excited about it. At the end of this month there is going to be a small line of clothing. All of the pieces are going to be very affordable, just like my glasses.

Charmed | What are some of your favorite items in your wardrobe?
Anything studded or spiked. I had this jacket made for me for the red carpet in NYC. I designed it and had someone sew it, when I finally saw it I almost died. I love it so much! It’s basically a military-style blazer that I added on leather, studs, shoulder pads and all that good stuff. I am going to make a version for people for under $135 and I want people to be happy with the product. They are going to be adjustable, kind of like those inside out things back in the 90’s.

About the Designer | Growing up in a military family, Steven Strawder has lived in many locations in both Europe and the U.S. His family moved to Maryland and Steven began attending C. Milton Wright high school in Harford County.  He took his experiences over seas and channeled them into his first fashion collection, 2007’s T0xic. A self-taught designer, Stevie Boi works to make his patrons feel unique without spending a fortune. Graduating high school in 2008, he had refocused onto accessories and started Stevieboi.com where he sells his SB line of clothing and accessories to a wide range of clientele. As more and more attention is given to his work, his business is continuing to grow, and he hopes to have a small collection out by the end of this month.

About the Interviewer| Born and raised in Maryland, Jordan Zeman has been crafting her art as writer and designer since making Barbie clothes as a child. She attended high school at The John Carroll School in Harford County where she designed costumes for the plays she acted in and studied in AP English. Currently, she is a Junior at Parsons: The New School for Design in NYC, where she studies in both fashion and journalism. Jordan hopes to graduate to become a as writer and designer since making Barbie clothes as a child. She attended high school at The John Carroll School in Harford County where she designed costumes for the plays she acted in and studied in AP English. Currently, she is a Junior at Parsons: The New School for Design in NYC, where she studies in both fashion and journalism. Jordan hopes to graduate to become a successful writer and critic and loves to help and learn through Charmed Magazine.