Deirdre

02/08/2025

Treated myself to a birthday gift: this gorgeous bag from .co , a designer I met during
‘s manufacturing tour!

We got to talking about leather suppliers and her husband said they had a beautiful blue leather bag that was so new it wasn’t on the website yet. I asked them to save one for me, and it’s a good thing I did because I went to DsW at Union Square and saw my current go-to purse replicated there. Time for a new, not-so-trendy bag!

Why I adore this bag: the color makes me swoon and it’s astonishingly well-balanced, making it super comfortable to wear on my shoulder (and not heavy!). I ❤️ functional art and this is it👏👏👏

01/28/2025

Took NYC by storm this month on a manufacturing tour! 🌟 2025 is officially my “make it” year, so I’m diving deep into the process and honing in on product development.

Huge thanks to of the incredible Fashion Brain Academy and to Anna Livermore of the amazing V. Mora Consulting for leading me and other designers through some incredible manufacturing facilities V.Mora clients use. 🙌

This was a nothing less than a life-changing tour for me. We met with 3 very different garment manufacturers. We had the opportunity to see women sewing garments quickly and skillfully, a sight that never ceases to amaze me. In this age of automation, we tend to forget that our clothes are still made by hands.

We visited the studio of a patternmaker and sample maker with over 30 years of experience, and then rounded out our tour at , Paul Cavazza’s pattern grading and marking studio. Pattern grading is the process of taking your sample pattern and creating patterns for all the other sizes you want produced. They also create the marker which is how the pattern pieces should be laid out for the people cutting your fabric.

Some manufacturers are vertically integrated and do everything from pattern to production and other companies are specialists. Which way will I go on this first production journey? Stay tuned!

I know there’ll be hiccups and unexpected expenses along the way, but you don’t need all the answers to start something creative. Sometimes, overthinking keeps you…um, me… from even beginning. No overthinking this year, though!

Can’t wait to keep you all in the loop. You’re on our email list, right? If not and you want to peek behind the curtain of an indie designer startup, join us! Link in bio☺️

Let’s make it happen!

03/26/2024

Big thanks to my friend Juanita Tool for sharing this article with me! A new first-year project on the Parsons MFA course inspires emerging designers to create clothing for communities who are underrepresented in fashion. This article particularly focuses on designers who worked with the “Ageing group.”

"Working with younger people and solving this problem together reminded me of the utility of intergenerational collaboration, deep listening and mutual respect.”

So many great bits in here, not the least of which being the creative and modern designs students came up with. Check it out!

https://1granary.com/designers-3/schools/parsons/embodying-universal-bodies-ageing/ (https://1granary.com/designers-3/schools/parsons/embodying-universal-bodies-ageing/)

A new first-year project on the Parsons MFA course tackles societal issues and seeks positive change through fashion design

10/04/2023

Posted • Book Signing: Meet Dee and Karen at the 79th Waterford Fair! 10/6 2pm-4pm at the Old Mill in Waterford, Virginia - a quaint historic village 50 miles and about 250 years from Washington DC. The fair runs for 3 days 10/6-10/8 featuring 85+ juried contemporary and heritage artisans spread throughout the village, period re-enactors, live music, a wine & beer garden, homes & garden tours, a fine art exhibit and more. The Old Mill Shop will be filled with a selection of one-of-a-kind handmade crafts from more than 100 artisans and craftspeople including basketry, woodwork, jewelry, textiles, pottery, Christmas decorations, and other decorative objects. The "Book Nook" will display and sell the works of local authors.

10/04/2023

Join us on Friday from 2-4 pm at the wonderful Waterford Fair!!

10/04/2023

Book Signing: Meet Dee and Karen at the Waterford Fair!

So honored to be invited to do a book signing at the 79th Waterford Fair! It runs from 10/6-10/8!! We’ll be at the Book Nook in the Old Mill on Friday, 10/6 from 2-4 pm, so make our day and come see us!

Do you know about the Waterford Fair? It’s a three-day quintessential Fall celebration of all things handmade! Enjoy 85+ juried contemporary and heritage artisans from across the country who gather in the National Historic Landmark District of Waterford, Virginia to exhibit and demonstrate their art and craft based on traditional American handiwork.

This unique village, set among the rolling hills of western Loudoun County, Virginia (47 miles northwest of Washington, DC) comes alive with period re-enactors, live music, heritage exhibits, a wine & beer garden, homes & garden tours, a fine art exhibit and sale, incredible shopping (the Old Mill, the Dried Flower Barn) and lots of hands-on activities for the kids.

Learn more about the Waterford Fair. https://www.waterfordfairva.org

09/19/2023

Hey there, fabulous friends! I'm thrilled to share that I'm on the exciting journey of bringing my fashion brand DEIRDRE to life😊 But here’s the deal: I want to ensure YOUR voice is incorporated in my collection. I’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to complete this quick Google Form. Share your style habits, wardrobe go-to’s, and fashion dreams with me!💭Your input is so important as I embark on this exciting venture. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support!💖

Hey there, Fabulous! I have a favor to ask. I’m inviting YOU to help me with an upcoming collection for DEIRDRE by sharing what you want to see in fashion. I want to know: what is it about your clothes that makes you feel like the vibrant woman you are? Your insights will be like my style GPS, hel...

09/01/2023

I had the pleasure of visiting yesterday, and it was unlike any experience I’ve ever had. Plus, I love spending time in any kind of studio!😉

My dear friend, Brigitta, and I did a two-hour session where we mixed different scents to create two one-of-a-kind perfumes. Mine were “Walk on the Beach” - a fresh scent using Marine Ozone as one of the base notes, and “Mrs. Claws” that uses Civet cat pheromones. Maybe I should re-name it to “Purrfection”! 😸 I started with Caramel and Leather bases, added the floral element of jasmine, and lots of other scents to balance it out.

Sherry, the owner and fragrance whisperer, did an incredible job educating us, guiding us through the process, and offering suggestions to help us achieve our desired scents. I wholeheartedly recommend visiting DIY Scent Studio and supporting this amazing woman-owned business!🌹💫

 

08/17/2023

Grateful to be celebrating 35 years with each other against the beautiful backdrop of Wrightsville Beach!🥰🌊

07/02/2022

My favorite part: “Just thinking of this friend will be chemical magic!”

Shall we engage in an experiment? Think about a friend for 5 straight minutes without distraction. Do you feel happier?

Excerpt from bumble.com/en-us/the-buzz/brain-friendship.

06/25/2022

My view right now. That shade of blue is so true it hurts my eyes. That sound? A waterfall.

Taking a much-needed break from all the ridiculously fun work I’m doing these days! The , 3D fashion Design class at Parsons (a Parsons student again!), working with an amazing pattern maker for a proprietary fit for the Deirdre brand, and volunteering with Loudoun Literacy Council. Feeling much blessed by the kind and fun people in these adventures!❤️🙏