Preparing to Launch

Black Friday is here.  Most of us are worn out with all the family, all the friends and all the calories that Thanksgiving brought with it.  So, for the launch of the new Steve Guthrie online store I thought I'd reflect briefly on the events that have gotten me to this point - because like the holidays - work, emotions and the general craziness that accompany such occasions are part and parcel to the incredible excitement and joy that result.

It goes without saying that I'm super stoked about sharing one of my many passions with a much larger audience.  My custom design work in previous years has been consumed by a much smaller audience through a liberal marketing / business strategy.  Truth be told, it was a pretty freewheeling, have fun, be creative journey that resulted in respect for sustainable fabrics, my mother's wonderful skills at embellishment and a desire to source and produce in the U.S.A., in particular locally.

 So when Jack and I traveled to San Francisco last year to work for the incomparable Bethany Scott Meuleners at Mansoor Scott while furthering my studies at Academy of Art University, my intention was to enjoy focused studio time in the MFA program, soak up all of the inspiration and knowledge around me, be imaginative and determine if I would continue my established path as a designer in the state within which it had settled so comfortably. In particular, I had grown very adept at creating unique cocktail dresses that were one part kitsch and one part classic design. 

To my surprise, the time in the Bay Area bestowed incredible insight into the real world of emerging designers, actually small business owners, trying to participate in a world where the dividends weren’t high, but the joy of creating was intense and beautiful in its challenges and rewards of realization. It was in this microcosm of hardworking, determined and often times eccentric fashion folk, guided by the blinding energy, charm and inspiration of Jeanne Allen of the Fashion Incubator San Francisco and her wonderful husband Marc Grant, that I realized that owning my destiny in a manufactured setting might be an opportunity waiting in Houston, Texas.

So return I did in August of 2015 with the mindset that if clothes could be designed and constructed at a reasonable price in San Francisco, then why couldn’t I do it in Texas? The process seemed simple enough, parochial even. One must sketch, construct, fit and manufacture, right? I’ll clue you in now; it’s proven to be a bit more than that.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as I share my interests, adventures and successes through this blog.

Have a great weekend and please take time to look at the newest collection.