Emily Labowe

The Poppy Undies founder and model on the calm of embroidering, confronting trauma, and finding the beauty in imperfection.

AS TOLD TO GOSSAMER

I was born and raised in L.A.—I’m a Valley gal. 

I was working in film when I started modeling. My last "real" job was at Sundance, in the foreign film department. Modeling ended up being a bit more lucrative. I started acting a year or two later, and it’s definitely something that I’m more interested in. With modeling, you just don’t get that same feeling of creativity. I mean, it happens sometimes, but those aren’t usually the money jobs, I guess.

 

The act of embroidering . . . really helps with my anxiety—focusing on a tiny, very intricate thing where you can’t think about anything else is a great way to redirect those feelings.

 

 
 

I had put myself in a totally new environment where I didn’t know anybody in order to find myself.

 

 
 

I got in so much trouble . . . I was so high and all bummed out.