CFDA IMPACT was established in order to create wider pathways of success to marginalized communities. In support of that mission, CFDA Impact has teamed up with Creatively to select a talented individual from the community to receive the CreativelyMade award. The winner will receive a monetary award of $5,000.

February’s CreativeyMade winner goes to Tyler Mitchell, a Bajan-American creative and chef based in New York, who explores the intersectionality of food, art, and culture through concepts that reimagine how everyday materials can be repurposed. Mitchell has already garnered the attention of fashion brands like Bottega Veneta, who collaborated with Mitchell to create edible interpretations of their footwear and handbags for their digital magazine, Issued. Tyler’s creativity is channeled through multiple forms, ranging from creative direction to content creation, with the goal of exciting and inspiring audience to help brands grow through her unique innovations.

To celebrate the award, we caught up with the creative to learn more about her work.

Tell us about your work.

My work could often be expressed as the intersectionality of food, art, and culture through concepts that reimagine how everyday materials can be repurposed, however, my work isn’t limited to food— I am an all around creative who also enjoys working with other mediums! My creative style is whimsical. The goal is to challenge the mind and create unexpected art/concepts that are not only memorable but inspiring too. In that same way though, my work can also be very deliberate and literal, which also still ends up being fun and intriguing.

How do you strike a balance between fashion, art, and food? And where does sustainability come into focus?

Such a great question! In my eyes, fashion is art in so many ways. The passion that I put into each creation is indicative of that perspective, and food (or food related items) comes into play as another passion that I decided to utilize as my “fabric” to design each piece. As a backstory, my obsession with “foodie fashion” came about indirectly through an everlasting love that I’ve had for cooking and food in general since I was young. Instead of simply posting plates of food, I wanted to relay the importance and impact that food has in our everyday life by utilizing my creativity and incorporating fashion in a way that was refreshing and eye-catching— all while keeping it lighthearted/playful and being mindful of waste. c. In the long run, my vision for sustainability x food stretches much farther than my art. How cool would it be for brands to turn, say, a pineapple’s skin, into fabric and start making more sustainable clothing from various food derivatives? That’s actually something that I’ve been experimenting with myself. There are a lot of ways that we as a society can utilize materials that often go to waste and rework them in an effort to be resourceful and help save the environment at the same time.

What do you want people to walk away knowing about your work, you, or your creative process?

That I am a creative overall and that I am not limited to working with food. I know that there are a lot of creatives looking to niche down, but I also think that there is a balance to it too, so that you don’t box yourself in too much and cut yourself off from other avenues/forms of expression or opportunities. And that I have a serious passion about the environment and food disparity in America (and all over). With this in mind, I am actively working on community initiatives that help address nutritional issues and nutritional education here in New York.

Tell us about your experience as a CreativelyMade x CFDA IMPACT grant winner. 

Being a CreativelyMade x CFDA IMPACT grant winner has been an amazing experience. Aside from the monetary value of the grant, it has added value to me by reiterating both the importance of believing in myself and the importance to keep going. This is one of the first grants that I’ve ever received, so I’m super excited about the new heights I reach with the help of this! I’m even more inspired to push the envelope further, be more consistent, and bet on myself more.

Follow @tylertmitchell and learn more about IMPACT here. To enter a chance to win next month’s CreativelyMade prize, click here.