“They’re very much a fashion inspiration, because I used to be someone who really sticks to trends a lot, like my Pinterest boards and my TikTok stuff,” Jemmie Chinje, a photographer and model who worked with Rakhman Gerardi on their collection for Ginger Mary, said. “But just even looking at Juniper’s wardrobe, I would say it’s very inspiring because they really just do whatever the hell they want.”

Coming from a mixed heritage background of Mi’gmaq, Jewish and Italian, multiculturalism is also heavily influential in Rakhman Gerardi’s independent designs.

“I would say that my design is — it’s shaped by who I am,” Rakhman Gerardi said. “It’s shaped by the ancestors that make me who I am, as well as all of the places I’ve had the chance to visit, and places I haven’t had the chance to visit, that I’ve heard about through fashion history studies, through costume studies, through looking at designers from the past several centuries, that sort of thing.”

On their mother’s side, Rakhman Gerardi is a part of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation in Canada. They’ve participated in groups on campus like the Carolina Indian Circle and built a supportive community within the American Indian Center. 

“I’m always happy to see Juniper smile,” Qua Adkins, the Native student engagement coordinator at the AIC, said. “They just kind of light up the room when you’re around them.”

Sustainability is also an important value in Rakhman Gerardi’s design work. Their designs are crafted mostly from sustainable materials like vintage or second-hand garments and textiles.

“I have a love for textiles and for fashion, but also, I love nature and the outdoors,” Rakhman Gerardi said. “And I know that the fashion industry is one of the largest polluters of the planet that there is, so that’s a trend that I’m trying to work against while also being able to make something unique and artistic.”

Ultimately, their goal is to start a brand of their own or creative direct at another brand. As of right now, Rakhman Gerardi is working on a new collection of fully upcycled garments to be released in the spring. 

They will hold a fashion show for the collection on campus and it will be available to purchase through Rakhman Gerardi’s brand, Little Rabbit Boutique. 

@sydneybrainard

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