There is a prevailing attitude today that to be avant-garde, one has to produce clothing that is ugly, shockingly sexual or otherwise uncomfortable to look at. Beauty is now relative, a standard that is always being redefined. Creating classically beautiful garments is regarded in some circles as quaint and old-fashioned. I disagree.

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I maintain that the truly revolutionary stance in today’s climate is to produce clothing that is beautiful and beautifully made, enhances one’s appearance, and is both a joy to look at and a pleasure to wear. By combining 21st-century materials with traditional techniques, I create garments that clearly express this distinct vision of beauty.

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Having lived in San Francisco has inspired my work. I have been deeply influenced by the Beaux Arts architecture of its civic buildings, a style that harkens from the Belle Epoque period in France. This pre-World War I period was a time when people enjoyed splendor in their daily lives. This attitude lies at the very heart of my designs.

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The Belle Epoque saw the work of Mariano Fortuny, whose design aesthetic and fashion philosophy mirrors my own. Both artist and designer, Fortuny produced beautiful garments in an immediately recognizable style. Where many designers try to reinvent themselves twice a year, Fortuny adhered to a classical aesthetic that reflected few of the vagaries of fashion. His pieces could be worn and enjoyed by the original purchaser throughout her entire life.

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I take Mariano Fortuny as a model for my creativity and business. I prefer to work at a more human pace, to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. My work functions outside of fashion, in that realm where timeless style dwells. Thus, my garments remain beautiful and viable, bringing pleasure to the wearer over a long period of time.

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The events and special occasions associated with that particular garment add to the piece, and each wearing carries this pleasant history forward. Consequently, my work is painstakingly constructed to withstand years of wear and is conceived with the wearer in mind. Each piece is designed and built to perform as conceived, so it can be worn with ease.

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Aside from expressing aesthetic influences, my pieces also answer a design question for me. These explorations usually involve a technical or engineering challenge that I’ve set for myself. To successfully meet my aesthetic concerns, the solution must have a construction so seamless, so carefully worked as to be utterly invisible. When the process is successful, the design transcends the process.

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Modern fabric and construction technology make my proprietary construction techniques possible. Though my aesthetics arise from the Belle Epoque, the garments themselves are truly twenty-first-century inventions. As such, old-world beauty is translated into a garment that is easily worn in the modern world.