You need to meet Janna.

Bold, beautiful and unforgettable are words Janna Clary Smiley uses to describe her creations, adjectives that could be applied to Janna herself. As the artist behind Swill Magnolias, Janna creates dazzling headpieces that are extravagant, flamboyant and ready to party. 

Born in Natchitoches and raised in the deep woods of Robeline, Janna grew up an only child with miles of nature to explore and imagination for company.  That childhood freedom and curiosity led her to study photography and graphic design at The Art Institute of Houston, earning a degree that refined her creative instincts. Her early career led to commercial photography, followed by magazine design work in Texas. As social media began transforming the creative landscape, she worked as a graphic designer for a sports marketing company in New York, gaining experience in fast-paced branding, visual storytelling, and large-scale campaigns.

Those skills, her own ingenuity and a knack for marketing have made her a success at producing eye-popping, theatrical headgear in demand for any and all occasions in which one intends to make a statement.  Swill Magnolias has clients all over the U.S., with most concentrated in New Orleans and the Gulf coast where costuming never stops and outrageous attire is de rigueur for parades, festivals, street parties and the random night out on the town.

But Janna’s greatest accomplishment is her family.  She married her best friend Brad, a college football coach, in 1997 and they are parents of Ben (23) and Clary (21). Janna loved football before she loved Brad and their “wild and wonderful football life has been a blast from the very beginning. Together we have embraced the adventure of it all: new towns, new teams, Saturday night lights, devastating losses on and off the field and more indescribable highs than I can count.”

Janna visited with me recently to talk about her family, Swill Magnolias and how she channels her colorful imagination into fabulous creations and other fun endeavors.

Have you always been creative and in what ways?

Creativity was never something I was taught. It was simply how I played. My [childhood] days were spent barefoot in the creek, climbing trees, picking wild berries and snapping photographs with an old camera passed down from my daddy. I made gourmet mud pies worthy of a five-star review, gathered wildflowers into lavish bouquets and fashioned entire worlds of paper dolls from the pages of the Sears catalog. I was always arranging, building, tinkering, turning whatever I could find into something beautiful. Fiercely independent and endlessly entertained by my surroundings, those days quietly shaped the artist I would become.

Can you talk about the name Swill Magnolias? 

The name Swill Magnolias is a nod to my hometown pride. Natchitoches is famously the filming location and real-life inspiration behind Steel Magnolias. Having a group of friends who appreciate a good cocktail now and then, the playful twist from “Steel” to “Swill” made us laugh and it stuck. What started as a joke became a brand that captures both strength and sparkle, Southern roots and a wink of mischief.

How did you balance your artistic projects with family life?

When the kids were young, I stepped away from corporate life to stay home, eventually homeschooling them and building my own portrait photography business. Entrepreneurship felt natural, another expression of the independence and imagination that defined my childhood.It was during those years of early motherhood that my love for headpiece design quietly took root. I poured my creativity into designing over-the-top Halloween costumes, elaborate Mardi Gras ensembles and theatrical outfits for school plays and special events. In our house, more was more and less was simply a bore. If we were dressing up, we were going all out.That spark was reignited years later when I helped create the Society of Sugar Magnolias, Natchitoches’ first and only all-female Mardi Gras krewe. What began as playful experimentation, crafting exaggerated headpieces for friends as a joke, quickly turned into something more. Almost overnight, what started as glitter and a gag became a business.

What are some of your most noteworthy creations?

Today, most of my designs are rooted in Louisiana pageantry, Mardi Gras mayhem and playful excess. Giant king cake headpieces complete with a crowned, bead-draped king cake baby are my most sought-after designs. Also, gigantic cabbage creations adorned with carrots and potatoes are built for “makin’ groceries” at the New Orleans St. Patrick’s Day parades. In addition, I create over-the-top floral pieces that bloom sky-high in color, texture, and drama for any and all fabulous occasions.

Can you talk about what inspires you?

I draw constant inspiration from Louisiana culture: its music, food, pageantry and unapologetic flair. Nature still influences me the way it did in childhood, from wildflowers to moss-draped trees, to quiet time at the beach, these things reset my spirit. Travel expands my eye for color and texture, and family and friends and frivolous fun remain the heartbeat behind every creation.Swill Magnolias was born the same way I grew up: imaginative, resourceful, a little bit fearless and deeply rooted in Louisiana joy.

Follow Swill Magnolias Studio on Instagram (swillmagnoliasstudio) and Facebook.