Created by London College of Fashion graduate Nanxy Wang, Northeast Nancy® uniquely combines fashion with intuitive tools like oracle decks and manifestation accessories, turning style into a personal ritual. Here we learn about their journey from UAL to starting a creative business and what the future hold for Northeast Nancy.
Hi Nanxy! How did your interest in design started and develop over the years?
I grew up always knowing I wanted to be a fashion designer, and studying at UAL was my dream from the start. Luckily, I achieved that goal, and that’s where everything truly began.
I’ve always seen fashion as a powerful tool for self-expression. Rather than creating collections around one repetitive element, I love to create characters through each look. I enjoy styling because dressing the same item in different ways can completely change its energy and story.
This idea became the foundation for the characters in my oracle deck. By combining these styling concepts with psychology and astrology, I developed 16 trump cards, each representing a unique personality and colour theme.
What has your journey been like since leaving UAL?
Since leaving UAL, I have gained the essential skills to start my own brand, Northeast Nancy. I was fortunate to be noticed by a company and launched my first commercial collection, which at that time focused on menswear and subcultures, finding and building our own community. Over the years, I became increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of fashion and wanted to find a more sustainable and unique business model.
During COVID, the idea for the oracle deck came alive as I started painting more and exploring spirituality. I researched and experimented with using fashion to connect individuality to community, and I found that cards are an engaging way to do this. The deck became the starting point of my spiritual fashion journey. Now, I am developing clothing that is more mindful and rooted in the concept of “Dress to Manifest.”
What inspired you turn your card deck into a creative business? What do you enjoy most about being your own boss?
I see fashion and the way we dress as a silent message; you can feel a person’s energy just by what they wear. Dressing is also a way to find and connect with your community. I wanted to create my own community and use my work as a visual language to help people express themselves and connect with others in a new, meaningful way.
My favourite aspect of running my own creative business is receiving messages and orders from customers. It’s the best feeling in the world! I also love doing pop-up events and meeting people face-to-face. Getting direct feedback has been incredibly valuable and inspiring, helping me grow and develop my work in meaningful ways.
Can you explain a bit more about your product’s environmental focus?
I truly saw the waste and environmental damage caused by the fashion industry while running my brand. This inspired me to shift away from mass-produced clothing and focus on creating meaningful pieces that consumers connect with emotionally, and are more likely to cherish and keep longer. I truly saw the waste and environmental damage caused by the fashion industry while running my brand. This inspired me to shift away from mass-produced clothing and focus on creating meaningful pieces that consumers connect with emotionally, and are more likely to cherish and keep longer.
This led to developing the Fashion Identity Oracle Deck™, a tool that helps people discover their individuality and use fashion to express their true selves. The deck encourages people to buy less, enjoy restyling what they already own, and make more intentional choices. These action in turn support a more circular and sustainable approach to fashion consumption.
By shifting focus to emotional connection and creative reuse, I aim to not only reduce waste but also help reshape consumer habits toward a more circular and thoughtful way of engaging with fashion.
What makes your Oracle Deck different to other tarot cards?
The Fashion Identity Oracle Deck™ is the first deck to blend tarot-inspired intuition, astrology, and fashion psychology to guide people in expressing their true selves through their existing wardrobe. Unlike other oracle decks, it not only offers life insights but also gives specific fashion suggestions to support what the user is seeking.
Based on my philosophy that dressing is like Feng Shui for the body, our choices in colors, texture, and styling define our energy. I believe this energy works towards both expressing ourselves and in attracting what we desire.
More than a fashion guide, it is also a game and a tool for empowering creativity and supporting sustainability by encourages people to restyle what they already own rather than buy more. It transforms daily dressing into a ritual of self-discovery and manifestation.
Do you have any favourite cards in the oracle set?
I have many favourite cards in my Fashion Identity Oracle Deck. One is I: The Man, which represents new beginnings, excitement, and good fortune.
Another is V: The Family Member, which feels very personal to me as it represents Leo in astrology. I included my own story in this card: under the gaze of family, the character wears two masks to live, yet it also symbolises strong care and being in the spotlight.
Finally, IX: The Lover is a favorite for many people because it is visually sweet and delightful, representing our universal desire for love.
What are your hopes and aspirations for the future?
I have a big ambition, and I truly believe my products can make a meaningful impact in both the fashion and spiritual industries. I see my collection reaching global stages and being stocked in fashion boutiques alongside clothing, serving as a reminder for people to buy and keep what they truly love. I imagine designers and creators using it as inspiration for their work, and spiritual communities using it as a daily guide to express their energy through fashion.
I will continue to focus on my theory of spiritual fashion so more people can discover and connect with it. I hope to inspire a wider audience to see fashion not just as clothing, but as a powerful tool for self-expression, intention, and personal growth.
Northeast Nancy is part of not just a shop‘s selected new designers and makers for 2025.
Each year, not just a shop holds an Open Call for new products from UAL students and alumni. All products and makers are selected by a panel from various disciplines and backgrounds.
This year, 13 new makers were chosen as our new cohort, making it one of our most successful years yet. Our range of practical yet stylish homeware, jewellery and accessories are sure to excite and enhance your everyday style and experience.
Learn more about this years selection of new makers and products.