I love the "Building The Community" series and having the opportunity to highlight the amazing people that work on the business side of Nashville and the glue that keeps this city shaking. When you think of Nashville, you think of the music scene - videographers, podcast hosts, label execs, booking agents, publishers, and the list goes on... but Nashville is also made up of so many creatives who may loosely be affiliated with music or not at all.
Shelby Marken has taken a hobby and passion to the next level as she's created her own company and brand - Mark It Up Designs. Shelby defines this creative endeavor as "a customized service where I hand paint and sell apparel. I specialize in jackets and outerwear. It ranges from a jacket straight off the rack to an old jacket in the back of the closet.” Shelby is one of my first friends in Nashville and it's truly been a one-of-a-kind experience to see Mark It Up Designs unfold.. Shelby is one of the most creative and innovative people in Nashville and has a blossoming company that soon will be spoken about in every room in Nashville, across the country, and the rest of the world. What makes Mark It Up Designs so special is that Shelby completely transforms an everyday jacket to a truly special and one-of-a-kind piece that completely captures the person wearing it. Designed and envisioned with true purpose and authenticity, there is nobody better than Shelby and Mark It Up Designs.
Shelby takes us through the process of how her one-of-a-kind jackets come to life. First comes the process of getting the right jacket for the individual buying or gifting it. Marken explained, "My first avenue is bulking up my inventory by ‘thrifting’ jackets.. My second avenue is someone bringing me a jacket from their closet that they don't wear and want to repurpose it, or are going to get rid of. The third avenue is buying a jacket online that fits that project I'm working on." Finding the perfect jacket comes first, and then Shelby starts the creative process to carefully and intentionally bring the person's vision to life. "I have to take every bit of inspiration the person comes to me with and try to create a concept for the jacket. I then start to draw/mock it up and send it to them. I get feedback, and a lot of it is a back and forth process until they get something they are confident wearing (if it's for them). If it's a gift I use my imagination and run with it. The process is in the moment and follows my vision."
As Mark It Up Designs may be new to many of you now, Shelby Marken is going to take her creative mind to the moon! I’m excited to see what the future holds for this buzzing company in Music City!
Get To Know Shelby
"I was born and raised in Brook Park, Ohio, a small town outside of Cleveland. Growing up, my identity was rooted in being an athlete. I was always in a creative environment because my dad, an art major, had countless hobbies centered around art, but I focused on sports since they came naturally to me. I did gymnastics and eventually became a pole vaulter. School wasn’t really my thing, but I knew it was something I had to get through in order to keep pursuing athletics.
When I went to college at Youngstown State University, I joined the Track & Field team as a pole vaulter and graduated with a psychology degree. But after college, I had no clear sense of direction. I got a “big girl job” as an event coordinator for an automotive group, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t what I wanted. I’d pick up skills here and there, but I realized I wasn’t meant to stay in my hometown—I needed to explore.
During COVID, I had this gut feeling about Nashville. I told my parents I wanted to visit, so I took a birthday trip with my mom. While exploring Printers Alley, I told her, ‘I’m moving here,’ but she didn’t believe me. Fast forward a few months, I found a roommate on Facebook, got my real estate license, and became an apartment locator. I figured it would be a great way to learn the city. Within five months, I moved to Nashville in 2021.
I didn’t have a solid direction at first, but working as an apartment locator helped me get familiar with Nashville. Once I settled in, I started going to writers’ rounds and other events, immersing myself in the creative and social scene."
Q & A with Shelby Marken
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Mark It Up Designs and how did this journey start for you?
A: "When I finally found friends here (Nashville), I went to a girls’ night and we all brought something creative to do. I found a jacket in the back of my closet and bought a fabric painting kit online and I was like ‘I don't like how this jacket looks so I might as well paint on it.’ When I finished, the girls suggested it as a side hustle and that's what sparked my interest. I didn't start taking designing jackets seriously until the beginning of this year and focused on getting a social media presence and showing the jackets I was creating. I didn't think I could make anything with it at first, it was just a hobby.
For me, it was a confidence thing. At the time I started designing jackets, I was at Buckle working retail and that sparked my interest in spotting fashion trends and that’s what gave me the ‘light bulb’ idea. I knew I wasn't going to be in retail forever, but that's what introduced me to visual merchandising, and that's what I do now. It’s helped me learn the sales side of things. Now I'm confident enough to create my own concepts on jackets and brainstorm ideas for artists, songwriters, and other people in Nashville and beyond to create a special jacket for them that really means something. Now, going and selling my jackets at writers’ rounds and pop up events has been a stepping stone for me to help get Mark It Up Designs out there."
Q:What is your vision for Mark it Up Designs?
A: "My long-term goal is to establish myself as a household name in Nashville and then expand from there. In the short term, I’m focused on making my brand recognizable, so people know they can reach out for custom jackets, stage clothes and even create pieces for social media content. Right now, I’m dedicating time to growing the business side, ensuring people understand this is more than just a passion—it's a professional brand."
Q: Most memorable moments so far with Mark It Up Designs / What do you enjoy about your job?
A: "The most memorable moment was definitely designing a jacket for John Oates. The jacket was a gift for his newest album at his family reunion. One of his family members came to me with the idea for a customized jacket and I took part of the album cover and came up with my own spin on it. I got a video of John Oates receiving the jacket and that was a really rewarding moment for me.
It's really enjoyable when I create a jacket for someone, to have them see it for the first time - their reaction is priceless. It's fulfilling to know I created something that means something to them. I like to personally deliver the finished product if possible, because their expressions make what I do worth it every time."
Q: What advice do you have for anyone who's trying to become an entrepreneur and start their own podcast, business, service, etc.?
A: "As cliche as it sounds, I would say to take the opportunities and be ready to fail. It's definitely scary, but I don't think I would be in the place I'm at now, being able to make jackets for bigger names and create cool moments if I didn't take every opportunity that was thrown my way and continue to expand the Mark It Up Designs brand."
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