Monthly Archives: June 2022

…………………..The BATIK DRESS came in three color combinations……..CINNABAR……ESPRESSO….and CYPRESS…..The fabric was printed on the diagonal to look like it was bias….It was printed for me in Taiwan at a mill that specialized in very detail prints on Polyester jersey. The used a superior quality fabric that had the feeling of silk jersey…..Chrysanthemums were very popular both in Chinese art and Indonesian art, and showed up on prints quite often. This Batik prink was inspired by a very old Batik….This very simple dress was created to showcase the print. It had a V neckline, an Empire waist and 3/4 sleeves.

………………..The Phoenix print was inspired by a wood block Indonesian print…….I wanted it printed on a SUPER light weight cotton fabric….like Batik cotton napkins. I wanted these pieces to be very cool to wear in the hottest most humid weather……I was very surprised when “some” considered this “light weight” fabric to be cheap because of the weight. They didn’t understand the fact that the lighter the fabric the finer the yarn….the FINER the yarn the more expensive it is…..The ABSOLUTE OPPOSITE of what they thought…..Anyone involved with fabric knows this to be true…. There was also a slight stretch to the fabric……The mythical Phoenix bird is a creature that was often used in Indonesian prints from which this print was inspired. It came in three color combinations…….SUNBURST YELLOW…..INDIGO……and TOBACCO…….There was a classic long sleeve shirt that was darted for a body conscious fit. It could double as a shirt jacket…..There was also the Capri pant….I love a good print Capri pant…..One gets tired of always wearing solids, and they become an exciting part of a woman’s wardrobe…. As each new group for spring and summer emerged there were new pieces that coordinated with the group before it. I built up the color stories from month to month so my customers could create wardrobes that made sense….not just a bunch of random pieces…….This is what AMERICAN SPORTSWEAR IS ABOUT!

…………………….I loved the SUNBURST YELLOW MULTI combination……It was CHEERFUL….and said SUMMER!!! It brought a SMILE to your face….

………………The March 2013 group had SEVEN new styles and THREE reorders……….The Stripe Dress, the WK Bolero, the Mitered Stripe top and skirt, and the Phoenix print separates were all part of this group….plus there were three reorders…….the Geranium print jersey top, the Crinkle Georgette safari shirt and tank, and the Batik print dress.

………………..This dress brought back memories of my Parson’s school days…..One of our assignments was to design clothes using STRIPES in creative ways….”The Stripe Project”…….Cutting the stripe on the diagonal and mitering them together for the bodice helped to create the shape. It had an insert of two stripes to form the waist. The skirt was cut on the bias…..As I recall it had an invisible side zipper to keep all of the seams clean……Black and White was one of the combinations. The dress was a companion to the Cascade Open Front Stripe cardigan jacket….even though it was sold the month earlier…..It was an easy dress to pair with many coverups….from the gauze crepe elongated jacket to the classic crepe blazer….and more.