A glimpse behind the scenes of a woman run business. A mom juggling a toddler and all the roles of building a fashion brand. Its a little crazy. Lots of hats to wear. But seeing my ideas and visions slowly come to life is truly rewarding.
Lady Dandelion is a collection made ethically and efficiently in Los Angeles. All fabrics are selected from dead stock roles downtown, which means they are fabrics that other brands made too much of and left behind. This does not compromise the quality of the fabric at all. It merely means that we are not creating any more waste on the planet, instead we are making use of what is already produced and recreating it into something better than it ever was.
It all starts with digging through rooms and racks of fabric wheels which can be overwhelming. I try to go in with a specific vision of what Im looking for. Otherwise it feels like an endless search.
Once fabrics are selected, I bring them to my local sample maker. This is an exciting part of the process. Its where the pieces come together. Much of Lady Dandelion collection is inspired by nostalgia and vintage favorites of mine. I love the timelessness of vintage fashion and detest the fast fashion of modern day America.
All our items are produced by a family owned studio in Huntington Park, California (which is a new neighborhood for me and part of the adventure of building the brand).
Lady Dandelion pieces all have a unique story as well. For example, the jewelry is hand made by my friend and collaborator in Venice Beach. The embroidered items are also handmade by talented artists that are part of my circle of friends. And because of this precise process, all pieces are made in limited runs! All fabrics used are in small quantities and the hand work is precarious. This makes each item you buy from the line even more special.
As a mom and currently the only employee of Lady Dandelion, Im just beginning to let go of the reigns a bit and learn how to delegate tasks. It can be really scary to let go of control of something in the beginning that doesn't have much of a set foundation yet. But collaborating is one of my favorite parts of working on creative projects. Working with photographers I love as well as other creatives makes the journey inspiring and fun.
As the company grows I look forward to sharing more of this story and bringing more amazing artists to the front lines of the action. I believe that revealing the process rather than keeping it mysterious is just as valuable as the products themselves. (Note: as I type this I have a screaming baby behind me, which is typical work conditions. So I apologize if this reads scattered. This is the real side of being a working mom.) More to come!