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We just released our new collection with Clarissa of @clarissatalks on Instagram! We love how these pieces are sparkly and fun, just like Clarissa. We caught up with her to discuss the inspiration behind the pieces and what the rave scene means to her. Check it out below and shop her collection with iHeartRaves here!

iHeartRaves: Tell us a bit about the collection: What inspired it? What concepts are you excited to bring to life?

Clarissa: This collection is inspired by my two alter-ego rave styles I have at all times: my sweet and spicy side. My sweet side is inspired by ethereal fairies and my sparkly aura I try to radiate to everyone. My spicy side is inspired by my dark, sexy side, I love adding fashion inspo to my looks from the BDSM fashion community. I love playing with those two sides of my looks all the time! I am so excited to bring both of these concepts to life; that you can be both and never have to choose one or the other, and that you can express yourself however you want with rave fashion. 

That is what I love so much about raving in the first place is that there have never been fashion rules that have applied, that you can come as you are and that includes what you are wearing. 

iHR: What were some of the challenges you faced in creating this collection? 

Clarissa: There were many challenges faced while creating this collection, from getting the sizing right, to creating looks that really meshed with my vision. The biggest challenge of all was creating these pieces for all unique body types and also making sure that everyone would also feel supported in these outfits, that there was enough stretch and coverage but to also feel sexy in these outfits as well. I didn’t want to create outfits that showed the most skin, but ones that were the prettiest and the most comfortable for long-term wear at the same time. 

iHR: You often talk about self love in your content. How has the rave community helped you find self love?

Clarissa: Oh gosh the rave community has helped me find self-love in so many ways! I have always worked on my self love but something missing was enjoying fashion at my size. I accepted self-love within myself but forgot to enjoy dressing at any size as well, wanting to feel as small as I could and cover up at times as well because of societal opinions about me. But in the rave community I felt safe to explore fashion and push my limits with what outfits I could wear, show more skin than I normally would, and truly find my sexy side that I never thought I could have. 

Everyone is so welcoming and accepting. I never existed in a space where I felt accepted by everyone, where nobody judged me, and where I just felt like I could fully be myself and just be seen as a human and not as just a fat person. This space made me realize that I could in fact just be myself and love myself just the way I am. Self expression through fashion is a major form of self-love and I am so glad I am able to do that at raves. And I always hope to show others that they can too.

iHR: You recently broke your ankle but kept raving. That's awesome! How was it navigating the rave scene while in recovery?

Clarissa: Yes, it has been a year now since I broke my ankle, how time flies! This past year has been a challenge but also extremely rewarding. I would say that raving is one of the main reasons why I am up and moving as much as I am right now. Even though I have been extremely immobile for most of this year, I am so glad that I kept going out as much as I could. I went to 3 festivals in a wheelchair (including EDC) and most others I went using a cane.

I would say there needs to be more accessibility at shows and festivals but everyone was very helpful and supportive. Venues were extremely accommodating and I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends and loved ones who always took care of me at events (and still do!).

A lot of people have a lot to say about “raging” and “going hard” at raves but this year truly taught me that you can still enjoy yourself at any pace that is best for you. Everyone regardless of their accessibility needs should be able to enjoy raving. It’s okay to rest, it’s okay to pace yourself, all that matters is that you are enjoying yourself and having a good time. 

Clarissatalks x iHR Inner Aura Top and Skirt

iHR: I love the way you style rave clothes. What is your strategy for putting together a look?

Clarissa: It depends on what the look is for but I love a theme! Depending on who I am seeing or what festival I am going to, I try to theme my outfits to the event. For example, whenever I see ATLiens, I always try to do an outer space or alien theme. For REZZ I wear a lot of black and red (a huge inspo for my spicy look!) And for festivals I think about the environment I am in, like Beyond Wonderland would be lots of florals and bright colors for spring and the Alice in Wonderland theme. 

iHR: How far in advance do you plan your looks?

Clarissa: Honestly? Since I go to so many raves, some of my looks I plan on the day of! I am very fortunate that I have so many outfits to play around with so I love to mix and match depending on my mood the day of an event. Sometimes I am in a darker mood and other times I want to blind everyone with sparkle, it’s all about balance! I love spur of the moment looks that come together. Those can be some of my most magical outfits! 

iHR: Which festivals are you most excited for this year?

Clarissa: Surprisingly, this is a first year since I started raving that I do not have any serious plans for festivals this year. I went to so many last year that I am hoping to explore some new ones if the stars align. I really want to go to Dreamstate SF, Lightening in a Bottle, Lost Lands, and maybe CRSSD again. Some of these are bucket list festivals for me so we will see! 

iHR: Favorite festival memory?

Clarissa: My favorite festival memory probably has to be on day 2 of EDC in 2023. I couldn’t find my friends at a stage and I was about to get really sad that I was on my own. Until someone came up to me as I was sitting and recognized me from social media. She told me how much my content inspired her and others out there and to keep going, and that we needed representation in the community.

It was such a lovely moment and then I asked if I could join her for the night since she was on her own too and we went on a wild side quest for the rest of the night. We danced together, vibed together, and really truly had the time of our lives just existing together. It was truly magical and was the perfect representation of why I love the rave community so much. You can talk to a stranger for a moment and suddenly be hanging with them like you have known them for a very long time. It was such a special memory that I will truly never forget. 

iHR: If you created a piece of kandi right now, what would it say?

Clarissa: It would say: ‘Everything will be okay in the end’ because that is a saying that I have said throughout my life that has always inspired me to keep going even when times got tough. 

iHR: What is something that you hope to see in the future of rave fashion and in the community? 

Clarissa: I hope to see extended sizes come out more. Even beyond a size 3X! All bodies deserve to rave in style. I am so grateful for IHeartRaves for paving the way with extended sizes (and hope they continue) but there are so many brands out there that only accommodate bodies up to a size L which is not inclusive at all. Rave fashion brands need to practice what they preach and extend their sizing for ALL BODY SIZES. I also hope to see more plus size bodies represented in rave fashion and event promotion. As a community we live and stand by PLUR and that should show in advertisements as well.