Chelsea Billingsley, better known as Chelsea B, always knew she’d be an artist. With her latest collection, “Give Them Their Flowers,” the crochet streetwear designer pays tribute to her great-grandmother and great-uncle, both of whom have left a lasting impact on her life in different ways. Pauline Winters, her great-grandmother, was also an avid crocheter, and her great-uncle, Spurgeon Jake Winters, was a member of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party who was killed at 19. “When I’m crocheting or doing things within the community, I often feel like they’re with me,” she says. “This was my way to show love and appreciation for them.”
But Billingsley’s work isn’t just about honoring her family’s legacy; it’s also about uplifting her community through art. “Give Them Their Flowers” was a collaboration with the Chicago Fashion Coalition, a nonprofit aimed at supporting the local fashion scene. The collection showcases Billingsley’s idiosyncratic style with her signature flower patches, crocheted bouquets, and HypeBo Bear hats—which are hyperbolic planes that, to Billingsley, resemble coral reefs or abstract flora. “I just picture people wearing them and looking like human flowers,” she says.
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Growing up in Englewood, art was a constant in her life. Whether it was drawing or painting, Billingsley was always creating, but fashion came later. “I wouldn’t say I was a fashionable kid,” the 26-year-old fiber artist says. “We weren’t fortunate [enough] to have a lot, so thrifting became a thing for me.” She would thrift with her grandmother all the time, and on Saturdays, she and her mother would go to the 69-cents sale at the Salvation Army.
“Being so skinny, I just had to make things work,” she says. Her freshman year of high school, she received a sewing machine for Christmas and began altering her clothes. In her junior year, her homeroom teacher introduced her to crochet and gifted her with her first ball of yarn and hook. Her dogs were her first models, as she crocheted them teeny hats and bows. “It became this meditative process,” she says. “I went to school on the west side of Chicago, and I’m from the south side. That commute was about two hours. It gave me time to practice, and that’s how I fell in love with it.”
After high school, Billingsley earned her BFA in surface design and textiles, with a minor in fashion design, from Savannah College of Art and Design. What began as a hobby turned into a business venture when her “Sunshine” dress went viral on Facebook. “It was the first dress I’ve ever done,” she says. In just under two days, she intricately crocheted an ethereal, floor-length honey yellow gown with a mermaid-esque silhouette. Her avant-garde flair and fun take on semiformal wear received widespread praise, leading her to start her own studio practice, House of Chelsea B (formerly known as Chelsea B Creations), in 2017. “I didn’t plan to have a fashion brand,” she says. “It just found me, so I went with it.”
Credit: Chelsea Billingsley
With a crochet hook and yarn, she crafts playful and vibrant creations that capture the eye and the imagination. From her whimsical bunny balaclavas to her cozy cloud bags, Billingsley’s work is unmistakably hers. With every design, she also considers the psychology of color, hoping to evoke certain emotions in the individual and construct a multisensory experience that goes beyond the physical aspect of fashion. Her sneaker buttons are like miniature pieces of art, bursting with colors, in the form of smiley faces and blooms.
Billingsley pours her soul into every design, but her blossom ski masks, puffer coats, and hand-knit robes hold a special place in her heart. The blossom ski masks are like wearable gardens, adorned with intricate florals. The puffer coats are equally stunning, with bold patterns and plush textures. And the full-length robes are soft, snug, and meticulously fashioned.
When it comes to her creative process, she’s guided by two different approaches. First, she uses a mind map to sketch out ideas, writing down words and thoughts, and noting the colors she’s envisioning. She then uses these elements to make a collage or sketch a silhouette before moving on to actual creation. The second method involves simply visualizing the colors she’s feeling and diving straight into designing. While her work is therapeutic and an extension of her subconscious, it almost always exudes positive energy and joy. “It’s a manifestation of how I want to feel if I’m not feeling that way in the moment,” says Billingsley, who uses crochet not only as a means of self-expression, but also as a way to weed out any bad vibes she’s sensing at the moment.
Credit: Shakeem Cota
Billingsley’s innovative perspective on streetwear sets her apart from others in the industry, blending traditional design elements with contemporary street style to create sustainable garments that are both stylish and functional. She finds inspiration in the lively world around her, with nature and Chicago’s dynamic cultural landscape as her main muses. Music and color also play a role. “It’s a melting pot, and that’s been a key to who I am,” she says about the city. “I’m a collage of a bunch of things. I’m a collage of color. I’m a collage of streetwear, culture, imagery, art, fashion, fine art, museums, and so my art is an abstract portrait of me.”
While she’s made waves in the fashion world, her impact extends far beyond that. Her partnerships with local concept stores like RSVP Gallery and Iridium 77 Lab demonstrate her meaningful ties to Chicago’s creative community. Her influence has even reached the world of sneakers, where she’s curated customization workshops—and met Virgil Abloh—with Nike Chicago to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the timeless Nike Air Force 1. In the summer of 2022, she released her first-ever sneaker, the Air Max 90 “Notra,” and she’s a member of the 2023 North America Jordan Women’s Collective. Her aesthetic has garnered attention from a range of talents, all of whom she’s styled, including rappers Flo Milli and Baby Tate, singer Lucky Daye, and drag queen Monét X Change for the seventh season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Her work embodies her commitment to blurring gender norms. Fusing crochet and streetwear, she describes her pieces as both androgynous and sensual. Her designs lean into oversized silhouettes, vivid hues, and elaborate textures, intended to appeal to a diverse range of tastes. Her success is evident considering her work has been showcased everywhere, from the music scene to drag competitions to sneaker culture.
As she puts it, “I didn’t come here to make blankets. My position has always been to shift that narrative and create space not just for me but also other people.”
Billingsley is eager to delve into editorial projects and fine art collaborations. She aspires to showcase her creations in an exhibition, including her sentimental “Sunshine” dress. She is a true trailblazer, pushing the boundaries of what is considered “fashionable” and paving the way for a more inclusive industry.
When asked what impact she hopes to have on the market, she responds, “That I change the game for what it means to be not only a fiber artist but a fiber artist of color. I hope to continue to inspire somebody that there is space for you and whatever you want to do.”
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