Photographed By: Christiana Birch Written & Styled By: Stephanie Rommelt

Taylor is a friend of Muza team member Stephanie; the two met while studying at FIT. Casa Muza’s next Muse is simply irresistible, inside and out. We admire her foundation, which is rooted in her self love and observant mind, both contribute to her personal style. Fashion is subjective and experimental. Taylor experiments with so many aspects of her life that form an edgy curation of thrifted ensembles emulating her own muse, her mother. She explains how one’s muse can be shared, and passed on, like a trickle down of inspiration. Her dedication to taking risks, combined with her natural instinct to create a look that never fails to “wow” is what makes Taylor the next “La Muza”.

Who is your current Muse?

My current & forever muse is my mother. She is my biggest inspiration in life for so many things, and she definitely has an influence on my style. She would thrift all of her clothes, everything would be vintage, and she is still so effortlessly stylish. I mean look at this beauty! She taught me to be who I want, with confidence, and that is something I appreciate every day.

What does it mean to you to be a muse for other women?

It means so much to me to be a muse for other women. So many women inspire me; so to inspire others feels like an honor! I could only hope to continue being myself and inspire others simultaneously. It feels so rewarding.

What is your life motto or favorite quotes?

I think my life motto changes depending on what I am going through at the time. Right now,“doing whatever makes you happy,” is something I am practicing seriously, and it has been such a beautiful experience doing so. I am constantly reminded that life is too short to spend it pleasing others or living a certain way because you think you have to. Leaving that mentality behind months ago has given me an entirely new outlook, even a new lifestyle and it is something I will definitely continue to practice throughout the rest of my life.

As a creative, where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration in literally everything. I naturally observe things in depth and I am pensive, so I am always coming up with new perspectives and analyzing from different angles. People inspire me, colors, objects, even the sky…I find it really easy to draw inspiration from anything that attracts my attention.

“People inspire me, colors, objects, even the sky.. I find it really easy to draw inspiration from anything that attracts my attention. ”

— Taylor Cross

Share an accomplishment or a current project you’re working on.

An accomplishment I am working on is taking more time to experiment with my creativity. In the past, I haven’t been able to put much time aside for that, but my ideas have been flowing more than ever and now is the time to make time! I have a few new things I want to try out, and some hobbies I am looking forward to taking more serious. I am planning on practicing my graphic design skills,in an attempt to bring to life a ton of ideas I have associated with fashion and photography, and just experimenting with new things in general. A lot of exciting changes coming in 2019!

What are your future aspirations as a young professional and student at the Fashion Institute of Technology?

Where do I begin with this one?! Well, I am currently studying Cosmetic and Fragrance Marketing at Fashion Institute of Technology. I would love to work for a brand that I use and admire, so that is one aspiration after I graduate. In the future, maybe I will have my own skincare or beauty line, who knows! Aside from that, I want to explore my interests in fashion and photography further so I have a few ideas I want to put into reality and see where it goes! It’s so important to not place limits on yourself and try everything.

What does sustainable and ethical fashion mean to you?

Sustainable and ethical fashion means a great deal to me. I’m glad more and more brands are bringing awareness to how important it is for our environment. I thrift most of my clothes, and I always appreciate a great hand-me-down from my mother or sister. I don’t remember the last time I bought something “new”. I guess I can say I naturally incorporate sustainability into my daily lifestyle. People and brands bringing awareness to sustainability is the first step, now it is up to us to practice it and look for more ways to increase our efforts!

If you could choose a song to describe your life, which would it be?

This is a more difficult question because I deeply appreciate music and can relate to hundreds of songs! Right now, 20 Something by SZA is one song that has been really speaking to me. This song sums up close to all of the feelings being young in your 20’s brings. This song helped guide me in translating fear into something exciting and motivating. Fear is something I’ve struggled with and I would let it stop me from doing certain things. Seeing the brighter side now, there is so much to look forward to in my 20’s, and I am happy to say that I am just getting started!

What has been most inspiring to you about Casa Muza?

I admire what Casa Muza stands for, and everyone who takes part in running it! Casa Muza caught my attention because of how organic and beautifully it is curated. Getting to know what the brand truly stands for and the people that are apart of the team really allowed me to see how genuine they are in what they do. This is evident in each piece of clothing they create, as well as sell. Each item they represent has a purpose, as does the brand as a whole. This inspires me to do everything in life with true purpose as well. This is a powerful message that can speak to every single person!

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