a luggage situation
My first clothing collection
I set out to make this small collection shortly after we realized we would be away from home for an extended period of time.
I originally had a specific vision for what, and how I wanted it to look like, how I wanted to over-dye everything using indigo, etc etc. I realized that in a period of transition I really needed to let go and just see what came about. While I didn’t know it at the time, this tiny collection would be informed by this transition.
I’m not on vacation per se but have been living and working out of a suitcase the last 7 weeks and knew while we would be gone from home, the transition from summer to fall was imminent in the Midwest. I started thinking a lot about being from and living in a colder climate and when folks go on vacation to warmer places they always have that one cold weather outfit with them while on vacation. usually its because it was what they wore the day they left the cold. And sometimes (this has happened to me before) if the weather shifts when you’re on vacation you end up wearing a mix of the cold weather clothes you thought you would ditch immediately and the warm weather clothes you were desperate for.
When I went thrifting for fabrics, I found wool and quilted fabrics and a smaller amount of lighter cottons and linens than I was expecting. What has come out of sewing the last few weeks is a collection similar to the suitcase of a Midwest prince while on vacation. Some warmer weather items and a few colder weather items. separately I really think they shine on their own but when worn together I think that’s where the real fun is.
The fabric for the garments in this small collection and the garments themselves were sourced, washed, pressed, cut, sewn and shot all in this time period while I’ve been away from my normal studio set up. Everything (including my sewing machine) has traveled with me in the car to different places back and forth for hundreds of miles. We have spent a lot of time together. Now at the tail end of this road trip, I have a second suitcase that is exclusively for garments that I sewed while away.
What a trip! It will all be available for your viewing pleasure on my website on 10.18.2024 XOXO leah
