On most nights, Audrey Valys can be found sitting in bed with yarn in her hands, turning an idea into something wearable. Sometimes the idea becomes a textured dress inspired by moss and trees. Other times it might be a giant button sweater, a sculptural flower-like sweater, or a lion embroidery patch stitched onto a vintage jacket. What begins as a single loop of yarn slowly grows into a garment that blends craft, fashion, and sustainability.
At just 21 years old, Valys is carving out a place for herself in the world of fiber art and experimental fashion, one crochet stitch at a time.
“My whole thing is crochet,” Valys said. “That’s the fiber art that I focus on the most.”
You don’t even have to be part of the event. Just go and talk to people. When you talk to people who have the same kind of creativity as you, it motivates you.
Audrey Valys
A family tradition
Valys’ journey with yarn began more than a decade ago, when she was about 8 years old. Like many traditional crafts, her introduction came through family. Her mother taught her how to crochet, a skill passed down through generations of women in the family.
“My mom taught me how to crochet, and it’s kind of just been passed down,” Valys said. “My grandmother and my great-grandmother all did some type of fiber arts, whether it was embroidery, crotchet, or knitting.”
The craft stuck with her. What started as a simple hobby gradually became a passion that followed her through childhood and into adulthood.
“I’ve been doing it for quite a long time,” she said with a laugh. “Over a decade.”
Fiber art itself is a broad category of textile-based crafts that includes knitting, weaving, embroidery, and crochet. But Valys found herself drawn specifically to crochet for its freedom and flexibility.
“With crochet, you use one hook and build it a stitch at a time,” she explained. “You can make pretty much any shape you want.”
Knitting, she said, tends to be more rigid structurally, since stitches stay on the needle all at once. Crochet’s step-by-step process, on the other hand, allows for more improvisation. That creative freedom ultimately shaped her style.
Learning by experimentation
While her mother showed her the basics, essentially how to crochet a square, Valys largely taught herself everything else. Instead of following tutorials or patterns, she experimented.
“The typical way people learn is through patterns,” she said. “But I never really did that.”
Without rules guiding her, Valys began manipulating the yarn on instinct, seeing what shapes and textures she could create. That trial-and-error approach gave her work a distinctive look. Even as a kid, she was already thinking like a designer. In fifth grade, Valys ran a small crochet business selling handmade purses to classmates.
“I feel like that makes my stuff more unique,” she said. “I’ve kind of been making clothes my whole life.”
From hobby to brand
For years, Valys mostly made pieces for herself and friends who requested them. It wasn’t until recently that she made the jump to begin presenting her work publicly.
Believing in her vision, and with the encouragement of friends, she launched her own brand, Audrey Apparel, to sell and display her original designs.
In December 2024, Valys participated in her first fashion show, the Petrichor Fashion Show, and since then, her presence in regional fashion and art scenes has grown quickly. She would participate in events such as Vlush, The Private Show, Art of Fashion, pre-show for Mass Fashion Week, Runway Rebellion Show, Summer in Seaport Fashion Show, New England Extravaganza, shows for New York Fashion Week… among others.
“I’ve met so many amazing people since that first show,” Valys said. “They’ve helped explain how this whole world works.”
Two sides of a brand
Valys describes her fashion work as having two distinct aesthetics. The first is what she calls “upscale basics,” everyday clothing enhanced with crochet elements. For example, she might modify a pair of jeans with a crocheted flare or incorporate yarn details into jackets or tops.
The second aesthetic of her brand is far more experimental. These designs push crochet into sculptural territory, transforming yarn into wearable art pieces that resemble flowers, abstract shapes, or textured landscapes.
“It’s almost like sculpture work, but with yarn, and you can wear it,” she said.
One stand out piece that helped define her artistic direction is a design she calls the “Nature Knit Dress.” The dress features layered textures that mimic moss, trees, and natural growth. The bodice is anchored by a wooden ring Valys found while thrifting. Even though she created the piece in 2023, she still features it in photoshoots and showcases today.
“That was one of the first pieces where I thought, ‘OK, this is unique,’” she said.
Fashion with a second life
Sustainability also plays a major role in Valys’ creative process. Rather than buying new yarn, she sources materials secondhand. Thrift stores, online marketplaces, and old garments all lend a hand with helping her create her designs. For example she would take apart sweaters to harvest their yarn. By unraveling secondhand sweaters, Valys can access high-quality natural fibers at a fraction of the cost.
“When I first discovered I could do that, I thought, ‘This is a life hack,’” she said. “It’s better for the environment and for my wallet.”
Beyond the savings, the practice also aligns with her broader goal of reducing fashion waste.
“There’s already enough clothing going into landfills,” Valys said. “Instead of a sweater ending up there, I can turn it into another piece of art.”
Looking ahead
Ultimately, Valys hopes to push her work into even bigger spotlights. Her dream is to design statement pieces for red carpet events and celebrity styling. Occasions where dramatic, unconventional fashion is encouraged. Wanting to embrace more out there fashion that isn’t always practical for everyday wear.
“My favorite thing to make is the really weird stuff,” she said. “Most people aren’t wearing really out-there clothes every day. So events like red carpets would be the perfect place for that.”
Advice for emerging creatives
As someone who has built connections in the art and fashion world largely through community events, Valys encourages other creatives to simply get out and meet people. Whether at fashion shows, music events, or art markets, she believes those conversations can spark inspiration and opportunities.
“You don’t even have to be part of the event. Just go and talk to people,” she said. “When you talk to people who have the same kind of creativity as you, it motivates you.”
