LINEN TIERED DRESS

“Born from a Feeling That Something Wasn’t Quite Right”


This dress actually started out in T-shirt fabric. I wanted to create something a little more casual and easy to enjoy, available exclusively through the online store.

But once the first version was finished, I found myself thinking, “It’s not bad… but it’s not really right either.” I didn’t feel comfortable offering it to customers as it was, although I could still sense that the design had potential.

As usual, I asked my wife to help with the fitting and started wondering whether the issue was the fabric. While looking through a swatch book, I came across linen and organza together and suddenly thought, “This could be interesting.”

I decided to rethink the silhouette as well. I stopped for a moment, closed my eyes, and tried not to fall back on my usual ideas. Then the shape I had been looking for suddenly came to me, so I quickly wrote it down before I could forget it.

After plenty of trial and error, I finally reached the silhouette I had imagined. When it came together, I couldn’t help celebrating out loud in the studio.

It would always be easier to say, “This is good enough,” and move on. But noticing that small sense of discomfort and being honest with it can lead you somewhere unexpected—to a new side of yourself, or to a design you might never have discovered otherwise.

Even the mistakes and detours have meaning.

Once again, this dress taught me something new. I suppose there is always more to learn.