hiiii, i’m alicia jo.

i think i’ve been in love with fashion for as long as i’ve been alive. my mom tells stories of me at two years old, pulling clothes off the racks and demanding to try them on. and honestly, not much has changed. i’ve always believed that what we wear, the things we surround ourselves with, and the little details we choose to make our own are all ways of telling the world who we are without ever saying a word. & as someone who’s always felt everything to my core, i’ve spent most of my life finding creative ways to turn those feelings into something other people can experience, too. through writing, photography, art, and just about every creative adventure in between.

i went to beauty school, studied organizational and strategic communications in college, and even dreamed up my first fashion brand, intimately distressed, creating lace intimates and distressed denim with a mission to give back to survivors of domestic violence. it never quite became what i’d envisioned, but the dream of starting my own brand never really left me.

somewhere along the way, XO alicia jo was born. only back then, it started with custom pet portraits inspired by my sweetest girl and forever muse, Nova. the heartbeat at my feet, my ride or die, and my biggest cheerleader who stood beside me through just about every version of myself. fast forward a few years, and life had taken me on a whole lot of adventures, with plenty of beautiful moments and heartbreak along the way. & in the middle of one of the hardest seasons of my life, i found myself on the floor of my little studio, laying out an old quilt and dreaming up what it could become. Nova was right there beside me, supervising my latest big idea, just like she’d always done. not long after, i lost my sweet girl. and suddenly, this little creative project became somewhere to put all the love i still had to give. somewhere to pour my heartbreak, my hopes, my dreams, and every little piece of myself i was trying to find again. & if i’m being honest, i just really needed this dream to work this time.

so i kept creating.

one idea turned into another, my floor disappeared beneath piles of fabric scraps, and my head filled with more possibilities than i knew what to do with. somewhere in all that beautiful chaos, i started to feel that familiar little spark coming back to life. & for the first time, it felt like all those different versions of me and all those dreams i’d been carrying around for years were finally coming together. but the dream was never just about making clothes. for years, i’d imagined creating a little world filled with beautiful, eclectic, one-of-a-kind things. the kind of place where you could find something that felt like it was made just for you. where every piece had a story, every little detail mattered, and nothing felt quite like anything you’d find somewhere else.

XO alicia jo is my little love letter to handmade things, independent artists, and the magic of creating something from nothing. an ever-evolving collection of one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry, accessories, home goods, and whatever other beautiful ideas find their way into this little world. starting with my own creations, lovingly reimagined from forgotten fabrics and vintage treasures, with hopes of growing into a collective of talented makers whose work deserves to be seen, celebrated, and loved. because i believe there’s something pretty damn special about knowing the hands and hearts behind the things we bring into our lives. about choosing something made with intention over something made by the thousands. about supporting small businesses, celebrating individuality, and finding new beauty in things that might otherwise be forgotten. a little less mass-produced. a lot more made with love.

a home for the wild hearts, the hopeless romantics, the wishful souls, and the beautifully imaginative people who have always felt a little too much and dreamed a little too big. for the makers, the storytellers, and the ones who can’t help but turn the things they feel into something beautiful. because whether i’m writing words, capturing photographs, or creating something with my own two hands, the heart of everything i’ve ever done has always been the same.

i just want to make people feel something.

and maybe there’s something especially fitting about taking something that’s already been loved, lived in, and weathered through the years, and finding a way to give it a beautiful new beginning. i suppose in a lot of ways, that’s what i’ve been trying to do for myself, too. so here’s to making beautiful things out of everything life gives us, supporting the people brave enough to share their creativity with the world, and never losing that little spark that makes us who we are.

for the wild hearts and wandering souls, by a girl with a cowgirl heart and a hippie soul.

made with love, always

XO alicia jo