So, it happened. We had a baby, moved to the suburbs, and my machines are still in storage. The likelihood that I will return to making knits this year is zero, but almost 100% for 2018. However, I'm not sorry to say that my approach is going to change drastically.
Before Alessandra was born, I'd been trying to ramp up production and become a more traditional brand - two seasons a year, size runs, colorways, the whole mishpocha. Now that I've had (forced) time to reflect, I see that's not what I want to do at all.
My great love is outerwear, and my focus will now be exclusively on coats, jackets, cardigans, and accessories. Perhaps the only exception to this is the occasional sweater dress, because I live in those (or used to before nursing!) With the coats especially, work will be made to order.
My hope is that by adopting a slow fashion sensibility, I can ease back into making work over the next two years and let the work tell me what I should and should not be doing. Alessandra is only part of the reason for this - the other being that Howard Zinn has recently brought to my attention that many of my concerns about the fashion system (and the system fashion operates in) should not be ignored.
Having a child certainly complicates that ethos. The idea of having an infant or toddler without cheap, cotton clothes is mind boggling. Yes, Miss A wears a lot of hand-me-downs, but some basics get so dirty and worn it's hard to hand them down! So while slowly working on projects I'll be chewing on this dilemma and trying to formulate a workable solution. Kate Fletcher isn't a bad place to start.
Best wishes for a tasty Thanksgiving! Back in December with, hopefully, some progress.
Leave a comment