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Designer’s Note: Establishing a Mood

When I design,  I start with a mood.  How do I want to feel when I am wearing this? How do I want others to perceive me when I’m wearing this? What’s the context?

Sure, it sounds a little extreme for lighthearted, flirty sleepwear. But you have to remember, my background is in costume design, so I tend to characterize my designs a bit more than other fashion designers. Let me give you an example of how a particular style came to be.

A few years ago I took a trip to Ireland, and of course we did the required shopping at the Blarney Woolen Mills. I bought a nightgown, and proceeded to fold it and store it for an “occasion,” whatever that might be. Finally I thought: this is silly, I should just wear it.

The nightgown is fairly simple: an unshaped, a-line calf length gown of soft white cotton, with a few rows of cotton lace and a deep ruffle at the hem. The straps have long satin ties at the shoulder. It doesn’t particularly fit my body (it’s pretty much just a sack), but it makes me feel cute and feminine. Therein lies the magic, and it inspired me to design the Spring 2010 line of cotton lawn pieces for Sweet Revenge Lingerie.

Photo by Polina Osherov

Here is what I was picturing as I designed, for example, the Flirtini print camisole and Capri pajama set. It’s a hot July evening, the windows are open and crickets are doing their thing. I’ve got a bottle of nail polish open as I’m finishing off the last few toes. I don’t think my husband (or anyone else, for that matter) cares if my toes are painted or not, but it makes me happy.  I’m halfway through that Nevada Barr mystery that‘s sitting next to me on the couch, and the cats are busy watching for rabbits out the windows. I’m wearing a very lightweight cotton camisole and Capri pants–with ruffles–and I feel comfortable, cute and relaxed. There is no elastic to bite into me, no scratchy lace to make me itch. I just feel cute.

This is how the Flirtini print camisole and Capri set came to be.

Capri back waist drawstring detail

Capri pants hem detail