Massachusetts Designer Crafts Custom Ariana Grande Piece

Massachusetts artist and fashion designer Laura Plad just had the opportunity of a lifetime, creating a show-stopping piece for one of the biggest names in pop music: Ariana Grande.

"When TD Garden reached out to me to commission the piece, they asked for a style that reflected her iconic ponytail, plus something that incorporated flowers considering her upcoming album is called Petal," Plad said.

Designing for Pop Royalty

It's actually not the first time she's been commissioned for a piece. Plad has also created for Lady Gaga and country star Megan Moroney. "Anytime I get to do a piece for a performer at the Garden, it's very special to me," Plad said.

From Illustration to Fashion

She caught the creative bug early, always drawing and making crafts as a kid. She graduated from Lesley University's College of Art and Design with a BFA in illustration.

"During my time there I focused on designing repeat patterns for textiles and other aspects of surface pattern design. I was happy with this decision but I still felt like a piece of the puzzle was missing for me," Plad said.

That missing piece was fashion. "In summer 2023 I decided to start attending the School of Fashion Design in Boston to take my interest in fashion more seriously and learn the tools of the trade," she said.

The 35-Hour Creative Process

"Anytime I do a commission, I do a sketch first that outlines the project and that must get approved before starting. I chose a side swept look since I try to stay away from 'hard fronts' with my headpiece designs," Plad said.

She chose a shorter ponytail for the piece due to the height of the display. She didn't want the hair to coverup the text on the back.

"I would estimate the piece all together took around 35 hours, not including any drying time," she said.

Dozens of hours spent crafting the perfect piece, but time well spent to create this custom piece for TD Garden. "Working with them has given me a budget and a platform to show my skills to their full potential," Plad said. "I think it's great they're helping showcase and support local artists and designers."