Courtesy of Doechii/@handsomegirly
It all started with a post. Grace Liggins, who goes by Handsomegirly online, had just finished her latest piece: a gray pinstriped short-sleeved top and pleated mini skirt adorned with buttons all over, and wanted to share it online. “Hello I made the most beautiful matching set with a matching headband,” the Los Angeles-based designer posted to X in February. The matching set received an influx of attention — over 7 million views, to be exact. And a common theme among hundreds of comments? Doechii. “Ik im being annoying. But it’s a dream of mine for Doechii to wear my set,” she later posted in response.
In April, that dream came true. The Grammy winner debuted Liggins’s crafty creation while headlining Frost Fest 2025, paired with a button-adorned headband and nails to match. “I actually made the look for myself at first,” Liggins tells The FADER. “I love buttons and wanted to wear them, but people were telling me how Doechii should wear this look. So, I posted about it to see if her team would somehow pick it up, and they did. It just skyrocketed from there. I still can’t believe it.”
Liggins kicked off her fashion journey five years ago with an $80 sewing machine and the desire to make clothes that reflected her androgynous style. She soon launched her online storefront that became known for star-shaped earmuffs and bunny hats, all reflecting her inner cartoon character version of herself. “It was hard to find clothes that fit a size 14,” she said. “ I started making clothes to express myself differently from other people. Everybody loved what I was doing so much, and I was like, ‘Okay, let me make some stuff for people.’” Get to know Liggins as she walks us through her fashion journey, crafting that viral outfit for Doechii, and how she’s manifesting her work onto music’s favorite it girls — SZA included — one post at a time.
The FADER: How did you get into fashion design?
Grace Liggins: I started designing right when the pandemic began. They gave us stimulus checks during this time, so I purchased a serger and an $80 sewing machine. I taught myself everything possible about sewing.
I went to an art college, but I didn’t know anything about fashion. I took what I knew from art school and put that into my designs. Soon, I started falling in love with fashion. I was in New York every possible moment because it was cheap to go there during the pandemic, and it made me fall in love more with fashion. I moved out to Los Angeles with a friend, and my first designs were bunny hats. I wanted to be more than the “bunny hat girl,” so that’s when I started making star ear muffs, and those blew up, too. I didn’t want to just be an accessory person, so I taught myself how to make clothes.
How have you evolved as a designer since you began?
When I first started, I was very much scared to be a designer. Now, I feel like everyone knows that I’m a designer. I’m fully embracing that I’m a designer and not just a brand. I am Handsomegirly. And my goal is to look like a cartoon character. I always think, “How can I look as cartoonish as possible?”
How did Doechii’s team come across your viral post? What was the process of making the look?
Doechii wore it to Frost Fest 2025. I reached out to several people on Sam Woolf’s team via email. I remember I forwarded the outfit to him three times, like “Look, it’s going viral. She needs to wear this.”
Sam eventually got back to me. We got her measurements and then, I made a whole new set just for her. I switched out the lighter buttons that I used in the original look and used darker buttons to complement her skin tone. I’m still processing it because for me, everything I want is always going to happen. I was at the festival when I realized she was wearing my look. This is all so crazy to me still.
Were you always a Doechii fan?
I didn’t listen to her music at first because I’m just not a big music listener. I was all over her style because she was always doing crazy makeup, and I remember thinking how obsessed I was with this woman. I even posted sometime last year that one day, I’m going to get her in my ear muffs because I knew this was going to happen in my heart. Somehow, some way, I’m working with this girl. She is the fashion girl.
“My goal is to look like a cartoon character. I always think, ’How can I look as cartoonish as possible?’”
SZA also wore one of your looks to promote her upcoming beauty brand. What was the process like?
I was reaching out to SZA’s stylist, Alejandra LaPilusa, for months. Doechii’s appearance put me on the radar of other stylists. Eventually, she followed me back on Instagram, and then I reached out to her again like “Hey, I have something ready for SZA right now. Can we get this to her?” And she was like, “Yeah, she’s about to go on tour. Let’s get this look done.” I ended up altering it to be a lot smaller because I made the look for me, but I knew SZA would love it. She wore [this stripped look] for her Not Beauty campaign, and I’m glad I could be a part of that.
You’ve been documenting your design process online and using social media as a tool for manifestation. What are your thoughts on speaking things into existence as a creative?
Honestly, my manifestations started because my mother passed away when I was 8 years old. In a lot of ways, I feel like she’s here helping me get everything I want because she knows that I work hard. I have so many friends who love my work as well, and they’re willing to do anything to help me get what I want, which I’m very grateful for because I would do the same for them as well.
What’s next for Handsomegirly?
I’m working on a bunch of new designs and reaching out to more stylists. I have a whole list of people that I want to check off. At first, I wanted to be a stylist. Now, my new goal is to be a designer and make pieces for people.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
