Erika Denae

First they’ll call you cringe
Then they’ll laugh
Then they’ll talk
And eventually… they’ll ask how you did it 😌

One thing I wish I understood earlier is that growth will cost you people

Not always because anyone is bad
Sometimes you just stop fitting in the same places

Some people grow with you
Some people watch from a distance
Some people become part of a chapter you’re grateful for, even if they don’t make it into the next one

No bad blood
No revenge
No need to prove anything

I still want you to eat

Just not at my table. Respectfully🍷✨

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming… fashion week chaos 😌✨

A little North America Fashion Week dump featuring beautiful clothes, backstage nonsense, new friends, old friends, and approximately 847 photos I’m still trying to sort through

So grateful I got to be part of a weekend that was not only this much fun, but also supported causes so close to my heart. domestic violence advocacy and mental health awareness 💜

10/10 weekend
Would absolutely lose track of sleep again

Hi, I’m Erika ✨

There are a lot of new faces here, so I figured it was time to reintroduce myself

I’m a mom, a model, a creator, a podcaster, a community builder, and someone who has had to rebuild herself more than once

I’m also a domestic violence survivor. I live with CPTSD and anxiety that, at one point, became so debilitating I could barely leave my apartment. There were seasons of my life where just surviving felt like a full-time job

And somehow, I’m still here

Now I’m walking runways, building Stitched & Spilled, creating community through Creative Collective, sharing my story more openly, and trying to become the kind of person I once desperately needed to see

Not because I have everything figured out

I absolutely do not 😂

But I’ve learned that healing doesn’t always look graceful. Sometimes it looks like starting over. Setting boundaries. Asking for help. Laughing again. Taking the picture. Walking the runway. Building the thing. Choosing yourself over and over

So if you’re new here, welcome 💜

You’ll get fashion, motherhood, chaos, dogs, creative projects, mental health advocacy, probably too much caffeine, and a whole lot of real life

And if sharing any part of my story helps even one person feel less alone or reminds them not to give up…

Then being vulnerable is worth it

Your story isn’t over yet

Neither is mine ✨

📍 Kinship | Fashion Coworking Space
📷 Andra Bradshaw
💄 Makeup & Lash Artist | Portland, OR | Double Take Lashes & Spa
💇🏽‍♀️ Highlights Haircuts Holistic Med Spa

One of those moments I’ll be grateful for for a very long time ✨

Getting to walk North America Fashion Week in a piece by Kenneth K. Bobby Edgar was such an honor

Still taking it all in 💜