Hi there everyone! This is Emily, your erstwhile clothing designer. It’s been a while! Last time I wrote I was looking to sell Filly as I set out on new adventures. Well, new adventures have come and gone and come again. I am now the proud owner of Good Wood, a sustainable lumber company based in Portland, OR. But I never sold Filly. When it came right down to it, I couldn’t let her go. 

I always said Filly was the simplest version of complicated. I designed with the body in mind, seeking to compliment a range of shapes and sizes while simultaneously providing comfort and ease. I chose utilitarian fabrics; cloth linen, leathered twill, raw silk and screen cotton for their durability, tactility, and grounded appeal. I designed the pieces to be worn, worked, washed and loved. 

Over the years I came to feel like Filly had become the most complicated version of simple. I still had the inventory, I still had the pleasure of sharing the designs with buyers, but my life had grown to include two domiciles in two states, a partner, a stepson, three dogs, two additional businesses, and a lot of gardening. My compromised capacity to respond to inquiries or even to send out orders in a timely manner was embarrassing and unprofessional. I had one foot in and one foot out and the balancing act was tiresome. 

Recently I have made an effort to find simplicity again. I moved all of the remaining inventory to Santa Cruz. I set up in the front room of a modest victorian on a residential street. I picked a day to be open. I made a name board to set on the corner and placed an ad in the local weekly. I’m feeling pretty proud of those simple steps! It feels like a metaphor for life as a whole: hold still, be who you are, invite others in, meet them where they’re at, and create connection based on peace and joy. In a time of chaos, be the rock. 

This rock would love to meet up with some shy little lizards, some high flying hawks, some curious squirrels, and some hungry fish. I am here. Let’s try on some clothes. 

Filly outlet store open every Wednesday 1-5 during the spring and fall, until all the remaining inventory finds new homes. 

Love to all, 

Emily