Dear Reader,
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When I conceptualized this brand I knew that my fascination with plant life was going to be the foundation. It came naturally to start with a collection inspired by botany. I wanted the palette and prints to evoke the same feeling of comfort that the flowers they're inspired by give off.
My main muse this season was the Jacaranda tree, not only because of the colors you see when they bloom, but also because you can find them in so many different countries. Every May in Los Angeles, they color the streets with the most beautiful shade of periwinkle. Seeing them in bloom makes you feel like you're in a painting. They truly do evoke a sense of serenity which was something I felt like clothing desperately needed this year.
The silhouettes are a new take on the 1940's. After WWII we saw fashion go from decoration to functionality for the first time in history. Hems were shortened, shoulders were sharpened, and pockets were added to clothing for men and women. Double pleats became the new craze as they added more room for pockets. This new adopted style became known as utilitarian which was inspired by the military and navy.
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In my opinion, this was a huge turning point in androgynous fashion history where the masses began to adopt and blend masculine and feminine ways of dressing that were for so long segregated. This movement was ignited by influential women who craved and fought for the power and independence that men had at the time.
I loved the idea of a modern angle on a 40's utilitarian style. The only ingredient I felt was missing to make it adaptable to today was color. This inspired me to design the Botany print. Inspired by the pages of vintage botany encyclopedias. Instead of having only scientific names, I thought it would be special to also add the word "butterfly" in ten different languages so that people from around world would feel welcomed by it.
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To say 2020 was an emotional roller-coaster would be an understatement. Throughout this past year, I have seen countless people lose a part of themselves facing this pandemic. Just because we are at war with a disease, does not mean that we have to live with fear.
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Dress yourself up, even if it is to go to the grocery store and have the aisles be your runway. Wear bright colors and prints to your next Zoom meeting or Zoom party. Wear your silkiest pieces the next time you stay in and watch a movie. Wear a fun mask that compliments your outfit the next time you stop by a coffee shop. By taking control of your wardrobe, you are giving yourself back the power that you may have felt like you have lost.
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The feeling of sitting and waiting in our cocoons may feel incessant, but that does not mean that you should dress, feel, and live like a prisoner. The world may be black and white right now, but you can be the rainbow that appears after the storm. Now is the time to adapt and reinvent yourself. By the end of this pandemic, you will come out of your cocoon more in-control and resilient than ever before. Take it one outfit at a time.
With that being said, I hope you enjoy wearing my debut RTW collection as much as I enjoyed designing it.