Velvet Outlaw is where custom meets conscious. Every piece we make is rooted in sustainability—we upcycle materials, minimize waste, and pour love into slow fashion that lasts. The result? A show-stopping custom design that’s better for the planet and built for self-expression.

My road to rhinestones and fringe wasn’t a straight line. I launched Velvet Outlaw from my attic while barely hanging onto my career in social work—specifically, capital defense. It was my dream job, but the burnout was bone-deep. After years on the frontlines of trauma, I hit a wall. My nervous system said “no more.” So I quit.

Now, I get to rebuild—on my own terms. Velvet Outlaw is my space to heal, create, and invite others into something bold, queer, and joyful. Each piece I make carries a bit of that transformation.

I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s create something wild together.

Rhinestone suits are rooted in both Mexican & Jewish cultures. Some people know them as Nudie Suits, named after Nudie Cohn who immigrated to the US after escaping Ukraine. Like many other Jewish immigrants he began working in the textile business and made everything from bejeweled g-strings to the rhinestone suits we know of today.

Another Jewish man, Rodeo Ben, immigrated from Poland and began his work on rhinestones suits in Philadelphia. At the same time, another dynamic designer, Nathan Turk, and his wife, Bessie, were on the west coast in LA making rhinestone suits. They all used old world Eastern European textile techniques that they learned in their Jewish communities.

Mexican tailor Manuel Cuevas was the head tailor at Nudies in the 60s & 70s and began to incorporate Mexican and Native American patterns in the designs. These rhinestone country suits also get their roots from Charro suits that trace their origins back to 15th century Spain and are most commonly recognized today in traditional mariachi and as a cultural icon of Mexico.