(About a 2-minute read)

There are so many things happening and I want to give you all an update!  Although I don’t share the nitty gritty on social media, (believe me, the spreadsheets and budgets are not glamorous) here is a little recap of progress!

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

I spoke about pattern and sample-making in some of my newsletters, but let me tell you a little bit more about what goes down. Before samples are made, there must be a pattern! I have home-sewn samples of my collection, along with technical specs and sketches of the designs, however, this is not what a manufacturer needs to produce the items. What they do need are industrial patterns and samples. Back in early December, the search began to find either a freelancer or a pre-production company to create these for me. Going into it, I was getting pricing anywhere from $250 to $2,000 per piece! This big range meant a major decision had to be made. I of course exhaustingly debated over which option to go with, and I can now happily say I have finally taken that leap!

So what  transpires during this process?

Well, the pattern-maker takes my sample and my detailed measurements to create the pattern. This is the blueprint for the design. From that point, the first sewn muslin is created. A muslin is basically the first iteration of my design created out of a muslin fabric. From here we can figure out fit and what edits need to be made. The pattern is then adjusted accordingly until I approve and can give the go-ahead to make the actual finished sample out of the textiles and trims I have soured for the garment. 

Once I have my samples, which could take upwards of a month to get perfect (trust me, I want nothing short of perfection) I can then schedule my photoshoot, and FINALLY be able to roll out the designs for you all to see! I am so impatiently waiting for that day, but I have to remind myself to take a deep breath and enjoy the entire journey here.

Next month, I will get into more details about what happens after the sample is made! 

Rome wasn’t built in a day. 

Now for timing...here is what is happening…

My original pre-sale launch date was set to be in late February. That meant all of the above plus my textile sourcing had to be done by mid-January, with the samples in my possession, giving me a month to prepare and shoot content for launch. 

I weighed the odds of rushing to produce pieces that I could potentially be unhappy with, or work at a steady pace to get it done right. I ultimately decided the latter was the better option. 

With that, a Winter pre-sale has now turned to Spring. Flowers will be in full bloom, and so will we! I am even more excited now to show you everything I have in store. 

I wrote another article on the manufacturing side of things, with lots to share including yet another big decision. Stay tuned for that later this week.

I will now leave you with one promise...to share more on social media! Having conversations with people and recording them is not my forte, nor is recording even myself alone, but I will try to get better at it! I want you all along for the ride!

xx
D