Devoré:
(Burnout Velvet)
is a technique where toxic chemicals are applied fabric selectively burning away fibers to create intricate patterns. When completed, exposed areas of synthetic fibers and transparent sections are revealed.
Here’s a polished version that keeps your voice and momentum while tightening the flow a bit:
Today was another wonderful day out and about in the city.
I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time ever, then headed to a meeting at Baci Studios that turned out to be more fruitful than I could have imagined. While there, I caught an exhibition featuring the work of a trauma therapist who uses art as a form of healing. Some of her clients’ work was also on display.
The universe has been speaking to me in so many ways lately, and I’m grateful not to be missing the messages.
Afterward, I headed back to Midtown for a quick dinner with a friend before celebrating with Jodi, her amazing team @crescala_collective , and @carltonjonescollection .
Then it was off for drinks and conversation about fashion, business, and what’s next.
New York always delivers.
Thursday
Sonnets whistling in the air above
Crackling twigs
Rustling brush through verdigris
First cool in the shadowy corners
Warm in the glowing light
That comes nearer at each crossing
Trickling slow
Rapid current below
Amber runs not yet aged
New and untouched by time
Earth in my nostrils
Bent fields stretching out
The horizon is ever before me
Today was amazing…
There is nothing I enjoy more than cycling through the city and I most definitely wasn’t going to pass on such a beautiful day.
My week is pretty full, and I promised myself a little me-time — and here it is. I took some uncharted paths today, exploring different parts of the city, and while down in the East Village I happened upon @tomsjuicenyc , which honestly couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I stopped in for a few refreshers and returned the glass jars the juice comes in so they could be recycled. I ordered four and took two along for the journey.
NYC never ceases to amaze me…
#NYCCycling
#EastVillageNYC
#CityAdventures
#JuiceRun
#bikelifenyc
Today was a day of decisions—choices that will quietly shape the future of something people will carry every day.
I got the call to approve the lining fabric for the Bruel Bag.
Texture, hand, strength, durability, weight, color—every detail was considered. Because quality and color aren’t surface-level decisions. They define the experience.
It’s easy to focus on how a bag looks from the outside. But what about the moment you open it? What does it feel like when your hand reaches inside? Does the interior reflect the same intention as the exterior? Do they belong to the same story?
A bag carries more than objects. It holds your keys, your work, your money—pieces of your life that matter. So something entrusted with that responsibility should be made with care, with thought, with purpose.
The details aren’t extra. They’re everything—especially when you’re creating something meant to last.
#LuxuryDesign #CraftsmanshipMatters #DesignedToLast #BehindTheDesign #ElevatedEssentials
Well I’ve had a full and wonderful Wednesday.
It started out with sitting for an n camera convo with @torinichel in a candid interview for @maisonblacknewyork
You’ll have to follow for the deets on the drop and to see the full interview.
Then i headed down to the private V.I.P opening reception for the CONDUCTOR ART FAIR @powerhouse_arts
In celebration of my friend @alexanderleestudio and @marissanewman
Mocha-chino
I went for a walk today
Amidst the fullness
I passed flowers in bloom
Tall trees
Singing birds
Humming bees
I picked a fruit and it was sweet
I sat at a café
Watching the people pass
So many lives
So many unknown things
I smiled to be a spectator
It made me laugh a little
I folded my fingers into each other
And reclined
Marveling at the simple things
In their own way, divine
Grateful for another full day doing what I love—and inviting you along for the journey.
The day started with Zoom meetings, coordinating logistics for a development shipment to Mexico, followed by calls with @FITNYC . I stopped by @newlinefashiongroup to review the Walking Dress proto-sample, then headed back uptown for a call with @Marist .
Today also marked a milestone: the first overseas sample for this garment arrived from China. It’s usually produced right here in the NEWYORK garment district, so this shift comes with both opportu nity and learning. The sewing quality is strong, though there are minor issues I’d typically have tighter control over with domestic production—but sometimes you don’t know until you know.
This is also my first time working with a bold stripe instead of my signature abstract repeats. You can imagine how a design will translate, but nothing replaces seeing it in person. That’s where the real understanding—and refinement—happens.
After reviewing the garment today, I have a clearer sense of how the print interacts with the design. There’s still editing ahead, but so far, so good.
#FashionDesign #GarmentDistrict #MadeInNYC #DesignProcess #CreativeJourney
April has brought on so many wonderful first.
My first trip to Chicago and today my first time @yankeestadium for the @new.york.football.club game.
And to say the least these were definitely some big beginnings and signs of things to come. Nothing is coincidence and nothing by accident. I’d say that I’m being spoiled by the universe but it’s seems more a message about of belonging.
Tonight I walked across the Green at Yankee and yeah it feels as good as one imagines sitting beside the photographers and press capturing every play.
New York is a tough crowd the Boo’s to the apposing team were brutal. I was like OMG the shaaaadde!!!
Anyway both teams did well and tied at 4-4. T and I totally over did it on the Steak and Shrimp at the buffet in the private lounge.
I had a wonderful time hanging with my Girl @dewildeofficial ❤️❤️❤️
Full belly, full heart, full of life, full experience…
What were you up to this Wednesday night???
Last year challenged me in ways words can hardly capture.
I faced two major health scares and significant changes in my business beyond my control. I also entered a marriage believing I had my best friend, my family, and the person I loved most—only to be met with a very different reality. When the truth came to light, I experienced gaslighting, emotional, mental, and verbal abuse, neglect, and triangulation when I chose to disengage and protect myself.
I chose not to carry anger.
Instead, I grieved, healed, and did the work—committing fully to my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. No numbing. No avoidance. Instead of getting wasted, medicating, or overindulging I chose discipline, fasting, prayer, and asked the hard questions—some still unanswered.
I went from nearly 300 lbs to just over 200, from a size 44 to a size 33. My health is strong, and the tumor—now completely removed—was benign.
One of the unexpected gifts from this chapter has been my return to writing, which is how this page was born.
To my friends—my chosen family—thank you. You showed up, stood firm, and reflected me back to myself when it mattered most. You held space with honesty, grounded me in truth, and never allowed me to move out of alignment with who I am.
Environment matters. The people around you will either anchor you in truth or pull you away from it. I am grateful for those who stand in truth and would never co-sign harm or excuse wrongdoing.
And still, there was beauty.
An incredible fashion show. Recognition for my work in garment development. Celebrating love at weddings. Traveling to new places. New friendships. Witnessing the people I love win.
For all of it, I am grateful.
Now I move forward with a wiser, open heart—clear, grounded, and focused on what’s next. Planning my 46th birthday in Italy, continuing my book, and building the next chapter of my brand.
I am proud of where I stand. Not perfect. Not what I imagined. But far from where I began.
Unafraid. Unbroken. Unshaken. Undeterred. Unstoppable. Unlimited.
To those who walked this road with me—thank you. You know who you are.
Angels don’t need labels. They simply are.
To the average consumer, fashion can often seem like magic. The designer sketches a dress—and poof, there it is. Through outlets like social media and Project Runway, people get a glimpse into what it takes to create a garment, but rarely the full picture.
Designers seldom discuss the long, painstaking hours—sometimes days—of back-and-forth editing, checking, correcting, and fitting that go into a first sample. The prototype from which every garment that reaches the shop floor is ultimately derived.
Working with manufacturers overseas adds another layer of complexity. Many decisions are made over the phone or via email, where nuance—particularly color—can easily be lost. Color rarely translates the same in photographs or digital formats. And designing clothing is, at its core, a tactile endeavor that requires a well-trained eye.
Experiencing a garment in person offers far more information than one might expect. You’re able to assess the drape and fall of the fabric, and observe how color behaves under varying lighting conditions. There are systems used to evaluate color under multiple light sources, allowing us to anticipate how a garment will appear on the selling floor. Adjustments are made accordingly. Add wear testing and quality control, and you begin to understand the intrinsic value of a garment.
Over the past few days, since returning from Chicago, I’ve been working closely with @newlinefashiongroup on the first sample of this printed walking dress—reviewing every detail right down to the buttons. There are still a few corrections to be made, but so far, so good—we’re almost there.
The dress will go to market this summer in a very limited run.
What are your thoughts on the garment development process?
#FashionProcess #BehindTheSeams #GarmentDevelopment #SlowFashion #designinprogress
