Curtis meets Ismarie
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.”
It was my sister Jules’ 21st birthday when I realized Ismarie and I are kindred spirits.
We were celebrating Jules’ year of tenacity and goal smashing that night because she had gotten her license, bought a car and turned 21 all in less than a years time.
I won't lie, there were a few margaritas and living room dance parties this night and after we all had a few drinks Ismarie sat on Jules’ bed and began to cry ( I am notorious for crying when I have a few drinks, happy or sad when I feel emotions, I cry).
When Jules saw Ismarie she said; “Mae, are you crying?!”
“Why are you crying? You are so beautiful!”
That's the exact moment I started to cry.
I am so happy that I have been able to watch these girls grow up together.
That when one is stuck the other comes along. When one one of them is silent the other will raise hell and advocate for her. That they offer their strengths on behalf of each other.
Watching these girls grow into women who invest in one another has been nothing short of life changing for me.
I had an idea during a meeting with my friend Sarah to have Curtis and Ismarie meet. Curtis is an incredibly talented costume designer whose imagination fuels his concepts and his persistence keeps him learning new skills and ways to create them. He once made a dress out of vinyl records that he melted in his oven and sculpted to a dress form.
I sent Curtis a message and told him about Ismarie, how her designs were beautiful with a keen attention to detail and that she was self taught and interested in making clothing that empowers the women who wear them.
“I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.”
After a few months of planning and planets aligning, Ismarie and I made our way through Chicago to go fabric shopping with Curtis and to start the construction of three separate pieces to be worn by Ismarie, Ismania and Jules. Ismarie will have a week to complete all three designs and we are planning a photoshoot this coming Saturday to commemorate the progress all three girls have made individually and collectively.
So many thanks to Curtis Cassell for sharing his imagination and creativity with us. We learned so many important things in our time with him from making client contracts to how to make sure sewing stays fun.
We are so grateful for your day with us and for being the very first boy, Rabbit Hearted Girl. <3