People of CN: Alisa Chirachaturaphak

“I try to live my life as intentionally as possible, aligning my actions to my values as much and as often as I can. I’ve always tried to be cognizant of where my money goes to, namely weaning off fast fashion or single-use plastics (the likes of throw away culture) or donating when I could. This year, I’ve been reminded of how truly fortunate I am, and I’ve tried to act in accordance. I’ve donated when I could and encouraged others to give back as they are able. I’ve also been able to revisit old hobbies of DIYing and making my own clothes.

I’m a firm believer that clothes can go beyond a fashion statement to be an expression of personality and creativity. I have a twin sister and basically grew up as 1/2 of “the twins.” We co-ran the same clubs and generally had the same group of friends. However, where we differ is in personality and self-expression. It wasn't until college where I fully got to experience being my own person, maybe that's why my personal style grew more important there. I could identify by the values of sustainability and equity that I shared with my sister but also through my own representation of myself.

Flipping old clothes or making my own allow me to avoid supporting fast fashion and its detrimental impact on the environment and reliance on inequitable labor. As someone who loves clothes and fashion as much as I do, I feel it’s important to be aware of how my purchases impact others. This year, with all the extra time spent at home, I was able to turn some old pair of ripped jeans into a patchwork denim skirt and heating pads!”

Alisa Chirachaturaphak is a designer in our Vienna office and a member of our Integrated Design group. She has been with Clark Nexsen since 2019 and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech. Her passion for sustainability began early in life, which led to her pursuing a minor in Sustainable Natural Environments at Virginia Tech.