Devauzea: LeMaiya Thompson’s Revolution in Stitches

Houston might not be the first city you think of when some says "fashion capital." But in a modest workspace filled with spools of yarn, fabric swatches, and half-pinned prototypes, Le-Maiya Thompson is proving that geography has never stopped a visionary. At just 23, the founder of Devauzea has already commanded the runway at Texas Fashion Week, crafted pieces entirely by hand for editorial shoots, and carved out her space in the slow fashion movement - all without a degree from Central Saint Martins or Parsons.

Her tools? Crochet hooks, sewing needles, determination, and a vision that refuses to fit into any one box.

"Every piece I make is intimate," she says. "It's more than fabric. It's a moment, a memory, a part of me stitched into something that lives on outside of me." LeMaiya's journey into fashion doesn't begin in Houston - it begins everywhere. As a military child, she grew up bouncing between Florida, California, London, and Paris, collecting cultures like postcards.

Paris left its mark the deepest. "Every weekend, we'd wander into small boutiques and vintage shops," she remembers. "I fell in love with how clothing held history - like every piece had a story before it even touched your skin."

By elementary school, she was already crafting jewelry and experimenting with fabric. By high school, she was sewing from tablecloths, sheets, anything she could find, experimenting with texture and silhouettes.

The turning point? A camping trip in California. She was just 11 when an older woman taught her to crochet, gifting her not just stitches but a philosophy: "Promise me you'll always express yourself, no matter what that looks like."

Want to keep reading? Dive into LeMaiya’s full story in Issue No. 1 of Violet & Blair. Purchase your copy below.