Feature Friday: Idolatre
Whimsical and wonderous, this feature’s shop has everything from intricately woven antler crowns to highly detailed Rococo body armor. Stefanie, the creative mind behind Idolatre Clothing Co., specializes in fantasy headdresses and accessories, and each piece brings its own sense of magic!
Stefanie shared that her creative drive is nothing new, and her detailed sculptures are just its latest incarnation. “I’ve been deeply invested in creating art since I could hold a pencil,” she explained. “From drawing to painting to sewing to sculpting I’ve always been fascinated by making things with my hands. Over years of practice in multiple disciplines a common thread emerged—my love for wearable art. This appreciation for making my own costumes and clothes led to my interest in making them for others—the idea of creating elaborate pieces to incorporate the wearer into the art and fantasy itself, and the art in turn mirroring the magic of the wearer. I adore the empowering nature of costume, and its ability to tap into our truest ideas of self.”
“I’m deeply inspired by nature and love spending time outside,” Stefanie continued, sharing that her inspiration comes from both expected and unexpected places. “On hikes I take pictures of interesting forms or textures I find naturally occurring to potentially incorporate into my projects. I am constantly on the lookout for new images, concepts, and techniques to elevate the level and scope of my art.”
“One of the things I enjoy most is the thrill of figuring out a puzzle—to discover and learn a way to create something that didn’t exist before,” she added. “Creatively and persistently addressing the various challenges to achieve my artistic vision is a crucial factor of where I am and what I create today. I look back at my work 15 years ago and can’t believe how far I’ve come!”
While she is a multi-talented creator, sculpture is where her passion has currently taken her, allowing her to reach that all-too precious creative flow state. “My absolute favorite things to work on are new sculpture projects—whether traditional (clay) or soft sculpture (fabric),” Stefanie explained. “That perfect moment when I have a stack of sketches, some proof-of-concept technical samples, cold brew coffee, goth lo-fi beats or an audio book, and a hazy summer afternoon is my idea of creative heaven. From clothing to accessories (and all the sculptural aspects therein), I still get giddy transmitting 2-dimensional ideas to the 3D. Something about it always feels like magic to me.”
And like many other creatives, Stefanie is always pushing herself to grow and expand her skills, refining her art with more challenging projects. Stefanie shared that her antler crowns, with their woven detailing, have been some of her most difficult makes to date. “Recently some of my most accomplished technical work has been my antler crown product series. I had been making them as individual one-offs since around 2018, and kept trying to figure out how to successfully mold one without much luck. Sometimes taking a little break from a project—putting a pin in it and coming back—is all it takes. I levelled up a number of my mold making skills, and by the time I reapproached the idea in 2023, I had the skills and knowledge it would take to bring the project to fruition. The largest and most complex sculpture I’ve ever released, the Druid Antler Crown, has 7 individual molds, with 2–8 pieces per mold (mostly silicone skins with fiberglass jackets).”
But that dedication to refining her art does mean that Stefanie has had to scale back on her custom work. “I’ve been forgoing entirely custom work to focus on new projects, such as the ones listed above. I’m so grateful for the individual customers who have hired me for custom fabrication and design work over the years, but there are only so many hours in the day, and there are so many projects I have just aching to be brought into reality. It’s my hope that staying focused on specific planned projects will lead me to achieving larger personal goals with my work overall.”
You can find all of Stefanie’s beautiful work on her website, idolatre.com, and in her Etsy shop, and you can follow her on Instagram (@idolatre) for tons of gorgeous fantasy inspiration!