Creepy Yeha: From Fashion Maker to Fashion Idol

Creepy Yeha has been an iconic fashion force on the internet for over a decade - she is an inspiration to hotties around the world for her fierce handmade corsets, belts, and jewelry and as my dominatrix friend Goddess Thea said- she is quite possibly the best dressed woman in the world! I met Yeha on the street while hanging in the Lower East Side- I recognized her and was so excited to chat with her. I teamed up with my good friend Caro of Cadena Y Rosas who makes handmade chain-mail to dress and photograph her. These images show Caro’s stunning designs fit for femme fatales around the world. See more of her chain-mail magic on her instagram.

You can see Yeha’s iconic lingerie and accessories on her Creepy Yeha website and if you don’t already follow her on instagram I suggest you do so immediately.

I sat down with her to learn how Creepy Yeha came to be and how she manages being a one woman run brand and super star.

I’m so fascinated by native New Yorkers who harness the power of this city and live their dreams. Can you tell me about where you grew up and what you love about NYC?

I was born in Brooklyn, which is where I live now, but I’ve moved around all the boroughs of New York. When I was young, my family moved to Staten Island, where I spent most of my childhood and teenage years. Growing up in Staten Island, I never quite felt like a true New Yorker. It wasn’t until I left that I realized how big the world really is.

After Staten Island, we moved to Queens, then Manhattan, and eventually back to Brooklyn. Out of all the places I’ve lived, I’d say I loved living in Manhattan the most. It was so easy to meet up with people, and the food scene was amazing.

Even though I have a driver’s license, I don’t drive. That’s one of the reasons I love New York City’s public transportation—it allows me to get around independently. What I also love about New York is its creative energy. There are so many passionate, ambitious, and talented people here. NYC is a tough city to survive in, and that hunger to succeed brings out incredible drive, passion, and creativity.

You’re such a creative force. Was there anyone in your family who encouraged or inspired your creativity?

Growing up, I didn’t know anyone in my family who had pursued a creative career. The most creative person in my family is my dad. He has a lot of creative ideas, is great at problem-solving, and is very DIY—he’s always building or fixing something. Most of his skills are self-taught, which I admire the most about him. His creativity and resourcefulness definitely influenced me.

My older cousin Laura was also creative. She once took me to her scrapbooking class, and it left a lasting impression on me. She used to take me out every other weekend and encourage me to do arts and crafts with her. She introduced me to a world where I could create things with my hands and continue exploring that creativity.

My creativity eventually spilled into fashion as an outlet. Most people in my family didn’t really understand what I was doing as I got older. I was pretty quiet, but I began expressing myself outwardly through how I dressed as a teenager. At first, my parents were worried. They didn’t understand it and would question, “Why is she dressed like that? Who taught her that?” There was some shaming and plenty of lectures early on.

Things changed when I went to college—I attended fashion school. There, I found friends who shared my interests and sense of style. Once my parents were exposed to that world and saw me thriving, they began to understand and support me. Now, they’re my biggest supporters, and I’m so thankful to have such a strong family support system.

Can you describe teenage Creepy Yeha?

As far back as I can remember, I loved playing dress-up in private. I would pose in front of a mirror, draping scarves and plastic jewelry all over my body to create unique shapes and looks. We didn’t have much money, so I got creative. My crafty side came into play—I’d cut up my mom’s old clothes to make something new. I would use my dad's tools if I had to.

As I grew older, I became more daring, which eventually led to my parents catching me in the act of experimenting with outfits in front of the mirror. I think I was about 10 when my mom walked in on me wearing blue lipstick with arm warmers that were made out of her hosiery and elastic that were stapled together neatly. Her reaction was predictable—she laughed—but how I felt surprised me. Instead of feeling embarrassed, I felt emboldened. It made me want to wear the blue lipstick and strange pantyhose arm warmers out in public.

People at school laughed, but instead of feeling discouraged, I became even more confident. I realized that facing my fear of being judged wasn’t as scary as I thought. People were going to have opinions no matter what, so I decided I might as well wear what made me happy. That mindset has stuck with me to this day and I hope that translates through my work and how I am in the world.

Over the years, my style has gone through many phases and continues to evolve. As a teen, I was drawn to clothing that was considered bold or provocative. I loved specific cuts and fits—short dresses, skirts, corsets, and anything that showed off my legs. I had a particular fondness for thigh-highs, stockings, and garter belts. I remember walking into Hot Topic for the first time and buying garter belts, then wearing them to school. 

I truly enjoyed those formative years of exploring my style. They allowed me to experiment, take risks, and figure out what made me feel most like myself. That journey has led me to where I am today, and I’m grateful for every step of it.

You’ve been such a consistent and iconic force as the owner of your brand. I would love to hear about the first steps you took to create it. It seems like an outpouring of your true self and what you love.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always loved creating things for myself to wear to school. Once I discovered my passion for making things with my hands, I never stopped.

One of my earliest memories of creating something for someone else was making an elastic choker with a cute pendant in the center. The day before, I had worn a similar choker to school, and a girl in my class complimented me on it. She was the first person to react positively to something I had made for myself, and it meant so much to me. As soon as I got home, I rushed to make one for her. Her reaction made me feel warm and fuzzy, and that’s still how I feel when I see clients wearing my art today!

From that day on, I continued making things for friends as both a passion and a love language. Eventually, I started considering the idea of building my own business and taking my art seriously when I went to fashion school for college.

Where did you go to school and what did you study? 

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I went to the Art Institute of New York, which doesn’t exist anymore. It turned out to be a fraudulent school, and it closed down two years after I graduated and paid off my loans. I regret that but I do not regret the people I met at that school.

For my senior collection, I had to create 10 looks. While working on those garments, I realized I wanted to make accessories to style with them. The school didn’t teach us how to make accessories, but as I started designing them for my collection, I discovered I preferred making accessories over clothes.

Since a young age, I was very active online—I’ve always loved sharing photos of things I like and stuff I created on social media. Everything happened organically. As I was graduating, I was figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to be my own boss, keep creating, and push forward with my fashion career. When I posted images of the accessories I made for my senior collection, they got a much stronger reaction than anything else I’d shared. That’s when it clicked. There was a demand for the stuff I was making because it was not as popular or widely available as it is today. I got lucky with the timing.

It all started on Tumblr, where I began selling headbands, heart garters, and heart chokers. Later, I opened an Etsy shop to make things more official, and from there, it grew organically.

I learned a lot in school, through internships, and by working with others. But I also realized that working with people wasn’t my strong suit—I was really shy, and communicating was hard for me. I preferred working independently, so I did everything I could to make that happen.

I started creating to sell just so I could afford to create more. Like most creatives, if I had my way, I’d focus solely on creating without having to rely on it for survival, but for now, this balance keeps me moving forward and I am so grateful for the support I have received through the years.

How long have you had your brand now, and are you personally hand making all of these pieces?

I just turned 33 in November, and I graduated in 2011. I started Creepyyeha around that time. In the beginning, it was just me making everything in the basement of my parents' house. I sourced all my materials locally from the garment district, so the quality was limited to whatever was available there.

It all started when VFiles contacted me, wanting to stock my pieces in their store. I’d never done anything like that before, and the idea of stocking elsewhere was intimidating. At that point, I wasn’t sure I was ready. I was the only one making everything, and I already had a long queue of orders. I knew I needed help, but I was very shy and terrified of asking for it.

When the demand became overwhelming, I turned to the person closest to me—my boyfriend Alejandro. We met in fashion school, and with his knowledge, creativity, and understanding of my style, he was the perfect partner. It started as a temporary arrangement, but we ended up working together for many years. Just the two of us handled everything: designing, production, photographing, editing, packing, shipping, and even doing interviews together. Every piece we sold was touched by one of us.

We sourced everything locally at first, but when I saved enough money, I followed my mom on a business trip to China. That trip exposed me to the industry there, and I began sourcing materials and personalizing hardware. I felt so professional when I finally had "Creepyyeha" on my hardware. I’d have custom materials made and shipped to Brooklyn, where Alejandro and I would assemble everything ourselves. Since day one, everything has been custom-made to order, and we’ve always strived to maintain that level of service.

Our partnership lasted over a decade, and it was a beautiful journey. However, I’m now navigating Creepyyeha as an independent creator again. For now, I’m making everything myself and taking the time to heal. Four years ago, I lost my brother, and that’s when I started slowing down. For the previous decade, we had been grinding every day with no fixed schedule—just working all day, going to sleep late, waking up, and repeating. After my brother's passing, I realized I needed to pause, reevaluate my priorities, and focus on my health and the people in my life.

Sometimes I feel guilty when I’m not constantly working, but I’m learning to embrace a new pace that works for me. I don’t know what the future holds for Creepyyeha, but for now, I’m taking it day by day and practicing gratitude for the good things I have in front of me. Honestly, I don’t even see Creepyyeha as a brand. It’s just me, making things I want to wear and hoping others are interested in wearing them too.

It seems like you value your freedom and autonomy and doing things on your own terms.

I have a clear vision of what I want to create and I am very particular. 

I’m scared of giving up control, and I know I need to work on that, but I try not to rush myself. I think a lot of people feel pressured these days because there are so many young, successful people out there and endless resources available. Everyone seems to be striving to be the best at something.

It’s easy to get tricked into believing that having the most money or fame is the definition of success, but that’s not my goal. I just want to be happy, create things I love, and live a simple, comfortable life with the people I care about. That’s it.

I was going to say- what’s your definition of success, but it sounds like that’s your answer.

My definition of success is being able to control what I do and have time with loved ones, because I didn’t focus on that when I started out.  I was focused on making money because I didn’t have a lot of money growing up, and I didn’t want to go back to that.

There are so many performers and sex workers all over the world who love and buy your pieces. How do you view your relationship to the world of sex workers as an artist working in the realm of fetish?

I see my art as my personal diary—an ongoing expression of my creativity and experiences. When I create, I think first and foremost of myself, because that’s how it all started for me. I know my body best and I know what I like and what works for me.

I’ve always been drawn to fetish imagery and inspired by icons like John Willie, Bettie Page, Irving Klaw, Eric Stanton, John Kacere, Dita Von Teese, and Araki. I love the bold expression it represents. Growing up as an Asian girl, expressing any sexuality was considered taboo, which only heightened my attraction to the provocative and rebellious nature of it.

I’m deeply moved when sex workers connect with my work, and I’m happy for anyone who resonates with it. Many people label my creations as fetish wear, and while I don’t mind the title, I see it simply as my art. My relationship with the adult industry is one of mutual respect. I’m honored that my creations speak to such a diverse audience. I have immense respect for sex workers, and I always try to support them however I can.

I’ve collaborated with many dominatrixes as well as subs in the past and have tried to offer my time and space whenever possible. Right now, I’m working on turning the building where I work into a shared photo studio for my community. In New York, renting studio space is incredibly expensive, and I feel for the talented artists who can’t afford it. My goal is to create a space where students, aspiring photographers, and models can work without the financial strain. I have the space, why not share it?!

It’s always been my dream to share what I have with other creatives, and I’m excited to make that a reality.

Can you take me through a typical work day? I know there is so much variety in creative lives like ours, but how do you start your day?

On a typical day, I wake up, feed my cat, and then get straight to work—because I work where I live. Sometimes I skip the shower and dive right into what I was working on the night before. I finish up whatever I need to do in the studio, get everything ready for shipment, and aim to ship by 4 or 4:30. At this point, I still haven’t eaten yet, so I package everything up, head out to ship the products, and on my walk home, I’m like, 'Oh my god, it’s feeding time!'

Once I’m back, I give myself a little two-hour break—play with my cat, shower, maybe watch something. Personal time! Then around 6 p.m., I get back to work, and the cycle begins again so I can ship out a bunch of orders the next day.

If I have a meeting, photo shoot, or date, I’ll focus on that and take the rest of the day off. In the past, I was constantly working—filling every hour with tasks. Even my free time was spent thinking of new ideas, problem-solving, or sourcing inspiration. But now, I’m more lenient with myself. I don't like being on my phone so there is definitely less of that. I am learning to set boundaries with work because I never did in the past, it treated it like it was my life! The biggest change in recent years is that I let myself relax.

On the weekends, I try to spend quality time with my loved ones. And eat. Lots of eating and laughing.

I can tell that you are a very detail oriented, careful person. When I first ordered some of your pieces the custom packaging covered in your incredible signature Creepy Yeha logo absolutely delighted me! The earrings came in a box and a bag with a silhouette of your sexy body and you included the coolest stickers and a handwritten note on your stationary. Tell me about how you design your packaging.

I really appreciate you saying that, because I've always been unsure if I was doing enough. I’m always hard on myself and I feel like I can do better. The packaging was a long journey because in the beginning I would just put everything in a little organza bag, and that’s it.  When I was able to make more money I put that back into my work. So now the organza bags have my imagery on them. I have custom boxes made. I want everything I send out to have imagery of my work or my name on it. Perfect things are great but I want everything I do to look like a real live person made and packed it for you. Do you think there’s anything I need to improve on?

I have always been a supporter of small female owned brands so I have received many things over the years in diy packaging from independent artists. Yours is exceptionally detail oriented and the way you brand all of your bags is so cool! I feel so attached to the bags and boxes and postcards included in my order. They made me so happy!

It takes so much dedication and passion to run a brand like yours. I love meeting independent artists who have been grinding for many years because it’s such a journey.   Do you ever feel discouraged or want a change and how do you work through that?

I feel like this is something I need to work on because I’ve noticed a pattern in my life. Now that I’m 33, I realize I’m very resistant to change, and it takes me a long time to process things. I move slower in everything—not just creating, but in all aspects of my life. I’ve accepted that this is how I am, and it’s okay, but I do want to improve. I want to act on ideas more quickly because there have been times when I’ve put something out and naturally had more ideas follow. But due to my timing, others catch on and create things I had planned, leading to missed opportunities. I can still do my own version, but it’s not the same once that happens. I also put a lot of pressure on myself. I'll sit on an idea and get overwhelmed quickly which leads to procrastination. For example, I renovated my space so I can have a photo studio and showroom. That project is currently 3 years in and still a slow process for me. There's some blockage there, which made me realize I needed to take some time to heal and grow.

I have a beautiful, talented friend named Michele who inspires me so much. I think you should interview her! Every few months, or every other year, she transforms into a new and better version of herself. She’s always evolving. She’s the true personification of a phoenix rising. She’s also a creative powerhouse—crazy with ideas, but incredibly thoughtful and considerate in bringing them to life. She’s very active and progressive in making her ideas happen. I have a lot of ideas, but I’m slower in my process of acting on them.

Well, we can all see that you are a very self actualized and productive artist. Can you tell me any daily habits you have that keep you grounded? 

I definitely don’t take myself too seriously, especially online. In the beginning, I was really insecure, trying to prove myself to others, and felt like I needed to defend my work. That drained me and caused more harm than good. Looking back, I was so immature and had a lot of growing up to do, and I’ve come a long way. I took a step back and realized I don’t have to take myself so seriously—everything isn’t that deep.

I’ve always been active on social media, so I was influenced to think posting my thoughts would be a good outlet. But I’ve realized that if I have trouble or concerns, I can talk to someone privately, and then it’s okay. I used to defend my work on Tumblr and respond to people, but it would just make things worse. So, I started being more private and confiding in friends, and that’s what keeps me grounded.

I also make sure to always make room for fun and spend time with loved ones when I’m not working. That helps me get through each day! Be silly! I hope I can inspire you to do the same!

Can you tell me some things that are making you happy right now?

These past few years, since my brother passed, have changed me. People grieve and react to death in different ways. Some close themselves off, but I did the opposite—I opened my heart. I realized I had been working so much, and I needed to start putting more effort into the people in my life. So, that’s what I’ve been doing these past few years—just socializing. I didn’t have much experience with that before, so I feel pretty new to learning social cues.

I’ve always struggled with talking to people, but now it’s the opposite. I’m just yapping away, talking to new people, making friends, and making each other giggle endlessly. And that’s basically it. I’m opening my heart to new people and experiences by trying to be more brave and fearless. It really makes me happy to have the luxury to do that now. Back when I was scared of losing time and always focused on making money, I lost sight of what’s really important: the people who are here with you now.

Would you say that the experience of grief took away your fear?

Yes, I would, because I thought I knew myself. I never would have imagined this happening. I thought it would close me off even more because I was so scared of everything—especially people. But when that happened, something shifted in me, and I became completely different. I’m still learning how people interact and how they navigate the usual things. Honestly, I feel like a kid in an adult woman’s body, still figuring out how to navigate the world. I never imagined I would make so many friends. I used to tell myself that when I meet new people, I’m shy and don't do this or that. But here I am, surprising myself every day!

I think it's really powerful how your own judgment or narrative of yourself can

affect your  behavior.  I photograph many people who are not often photographed, and I often hear people judging themselves during a photo shoot and it's not grounded in reality. It's their own imaginary self perception. My best photo subjects are the ones who don't question themselves. I’ve learned from observing self-judgement that your inner narrative defines your reality. Some of my favorite people in New York have these amazing narratives for their life and I love to be around that energy.

Yes it’s called manifestation! You look in the mirror and you tell yourself who you are. I’ve been trying to be more gentle with myself because I used to talk down to myself and I’m changing that.