Journal — Behind the Seams

My intention for Atèlette wasn't to create a sustainable clothing brand. First and foremost, I wanted to create beautiful & timeless garments that brought me joy to create that women could wear year after year, turn to again and again. I wanted to create garments that would be cherished, loved, and became integral pieces in a woman's wardrobe that reflected back to her the life she lived and the life she aspired to have. Like cloth talismans that reminded her of who she was and where she was headed.  That...

I am currently at home nursing the tail end (I hope) of a migraine that started 24 hours ago. I don't get migraines too often, but when I do, they're whoppers. Anyhow, I spent a bit of this morning sitting out in the garden with my eyes closed, trying to meditate, but I kept seeing delicate black tendrils floating behind my eyelids and everything was turning bright fuchsia red. Still, a bit of sun is always reviving for me and there was a nice breeze. I picked some calendula and...

Taking a moment right now to give myself a pat on the back as I've just released my newest batch of designs for the upcoming summer season. I suppose I should preface by saying I don't really work in seasons, I tend to just design as the inspiration comes, but it has been interesting how rhythmic my creativity has been with the seasons, thus far anyway. I am so excited to see all my latest work all together! Some of these pieces still need a little more finetuning with fits and details,...

Madder root (Rubia tinctorum) is a natural plant dye material I have been wanting to work with for a while because of the various hues of deep red, pink, corals, rust hues acquired from it. I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I'm a beginner when it comes to botanical dyeing, but I was really pleasantly surprised with the soft palette of petal pink.I read several different posts and watched Youtube videos and decided on doing an alum mordant on four Atèlette pieces that had the slightest imperfections. I'm talking tiny pin...

I am someone that is moved by the small beautiful little details in life that reminds me of how poetic it is to exist, right here, right now. I have been brought to tears while watching the sun set at the ocean, have yelped in delight witnessing someone experiencing unexpected joy, and have shrieked with awe when driving by tall fields of grass dancing in the breeze. I feel fortunate that I am someone that can easily find beauty and wonder in things that most people overlook or don't bother to pay attention to. Or they're...

The website has now launched and I've been a bit quiet again on social media and even in marketing and promoting the new site. Seems a bit odd, but I'm listening to my emotional state and realizing I have been working so much the past year that I need to rest and to recuperate and just allow myself time and space. I only have so much energy and I'm getting a bit older and more guarded with my time.  So instead of constantly "promoting the existence of"-- which is how I feel about...

With a professional background spanning well over a decade in the vintage clothing trade, followed by six years dedicated to curating contemporary apparel from various brands for Adored Vintage, I have traversed the extensive spectrum that delineates finely crafted attire from its less distinguished counterparts. This journey extends beyond the realm of aesthetics, delving into the quintessential attributes that distinguish a high-quality garment. There are and should be distinct price points for the differences. My mission is to share the knowledge I have garnered, with the explicit aim of enlightening...

At this point, I had not found a new manufacturer to partner up with yet that better aligned with my goals and values, though I recall being absolutely hungry for knowledge and to learn more and more about the production and design side of the fashion industry now that I had decided to design everything for Atèlette myself. I had three dresses waiting to be released (the Florenzia, Appalonia, & the Sandrine) my first three attempts at designing things on my known with my limited self-taught knowledge and in custom...