All the Wrong Reasons

This last year has been some type of gauntlet for our business. It has been so hard that it forced me to reflect on why I do this. My interests are in craft, in the making, in the meaning. My process is inefficient, curious, academic. I am a craft person, an artist. My interest is in the thing, how its made, its integrity. It's a labor of love. Some people get into this to make a successful business, their product is the business. My product is the product.

Every small business you love is at their wits end. The frustration is palpable in their socials: expressed as pivoting, dead silence, or desperate business as usual. Brands and shops we love are peace-out-ing at an incredible pace. But stubbornly we remain. Is it stupidity or genius, you decide.

Tariffs have raised our fabric printing by 15-20%. When you figure in ongoing changes in international shipping these prices currently look more like 30%. Who knows what this will be next month.

I can't compromise on the quality of the fabric, the print, or the cut. I just can't. We only use biodegradable fabrics and inks. We print the fabric in Italy and India. We make the clothes here in the US. I cut all the clothes myself and send them out to small factory and individuals. I hand iron everything and inspect it. The emphasis is on quality and thoughtfulness. This is what I enjoy. Why bother doing it otherwise?

So, in order to weather this storm, we are going to focus on our existing styles and prints. We are going "cut through" our existing fabric inventory. Prints will sell out. We developed a new set of prints and a few additional styles that we are currently holding off on. If the head winds die down, we will do some small batch production this year with a pre-order feature.

To maintain anything like competitive pricing we are going to make a few compromises on the speed of freight shipping and limit our offerings. This means items will get fulfilled at a slightly slower pace. Dresses will be offered with fewer prints. The site will become more streamlined in its offerings to make our production simpler.

I love the mu'umu'u forms for their un-bodycon silhouettes. However, I think you all know, I love the prints the most. The prints are the reason for the season. They are the focus. If there is to be any expansion this year it will be around the prints.

At the end of the day we want to keep making these beautiful prints and these beautiful garments. Hope you will extend us patience and patronage during these troubled times.

Tsia