About Me

Hi, I’m Mandy Anderson. I’m a mother of eight, a mental health advocate, a refugee ally, a dress designer, model, a former Mrs. USA Woman of the Universe 2023, and currently honored to hold the title of Mrs. America United Nations. But honestly, most a shy, anxious girl hiding in the corner hoping no one will notice that I don’t know how to belong.

Unfinished Wings was never meant to be a “project.” It began during one of the darkest seasons of my life, when I wasn’t sure I could stay. I started crafting angel wings—fragile, broken, unfinished—because I needed a reason to hold on. Somehow, creating them gave me breath when I couldn’t find any, and hope when I didn’t believe I could stay.

Each dress in the Unfinished Wings collection is created from something thrifted and unwanted—just like I often feel—and reimagined into something beautiful. None of the designs are fully finished, and each are far from perfect- and that’s the point. They represent living in the middle of the mess, walking with anxiety, battling depression, and surviving suicidality without pretending to be “all better.” These dresses tell stories—mine, and maybe, yours too.

This journey has already taken me to Switzerland Fashion Week, a photoshoot at the Eiffel Tower, and has invitations to Cannes Film Festival Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week and Paris Couture Week. But it's not just about the runway—Unfinished Wings is a story meant to be shared. It’s for every person who’s ever thought they had to be healed to speak up. I am still deeply “in it—not through it”—and I want to be a voice for those who feel they’re too broken to matter.

Alongside this work, I’m still raising my kids (six girls and two boys) and helping refugee families resettled in Utah—many of whom have become like family to me. The name "Mama Sarah" was given to me by a group of Congolese refugee friends years ago, and I carry that name with so much honor and love.

I’d love to take these wings further—to fashion shows, art galleries, mental health summits, classrooms, podcasts, news broadcasts and wherever there’s room for real conversation. If you’d like to help, there are so many ways:

• Sponsor a dress or show as a business

• Make a donation toward travel, materials, or event fees

• Invite me to speak on your podcast, join your panel, or be part of your next event or runway

• Or even just share the story with someone who needs to know they’re not alone

Thank you for being here. Whether you’re here for beauty or brokenness, or somewhere in between—there’s space for you in this story.

With love,
Mandy