Three months of firsts: A studio space, a wedding collection and The Met Gala (Part 1)
Dear Diary,
Wow! What a time we’re in! Tanner and I are so full of gratitude for all that has happened in the last 3 months. I’m finally getting a second to reflect on the roller coaster of emotions this period has brought. High highs, lots of wins, pushing ourselves to the max in more ways that we can think of and constantly pinching ourselves to make sure it’s all even real.
This is the first of many entries I plan to write as a window into our life as a young couple from the midwest who one day decided to be fashion designers. It’s been a journey, let me tell you! I’ll go back and fill you in on our history later on but for now, I’m starting in March 2024…
Our First Studio Space:
In March, just after our return from Paris market, we moved into Tanner Fletcher’s first and long awaited studio space. I’m pretty sure we’ve dreamed about this moment since the start of the brand. When you start a business and imagine your future, one of the main requirements is a space. Somewhere to host clients, space to work, somewhere that inspires you. I think in my delusions, I thought that would be one of the first steps but like everything else, good things come to those who wait.
We spent nearly the first 3 years of our business’ existence working and living out of our apartment in Brooklyn. It was great at the start, but as time went on, the business slowly took over our living space. Pins and needle on the floor, ribbons and trims busting out of every nook and cranny and even feather boas that our cat, Helen, wouldn’t leave alone. Not the mention the fact that we rarely left the house!
One thing you should know about Tanner and I is that we’re SCRAPPY! Scrappy as can be. This means there was no way in hell we’d be acquiring a studio space until we could absolutely afford it. We had been scoping out a few places in the Garment District but found them all to be quite drab. No sunlight, very industrial and well the neighborhood has seen better days.
You know how they say everything happens for a reason? Well I find myself to be living that phrase quite often. Just as we were about to settle for something in the GD, our space fell into our laps. We found the HQ of our dreams. A French cottage in Manhattan. The moment I walked through the door, I literally knew it was meant to be. It’s the top level of a converted 1850’s home on the border of West Village and Chelsea. It’s a simple lay out with tin ceilings, brick walls and original floors that show years and years of different stains, paints and finishes. It honestly feels like a portal to another world. Especially when you come off of the streets of NYC. It’s serene, cozy and most importantly feels like you’re walking into our home.
All images by Evelyn Freja for WWD.
We’re still working on the final touches since right after we moved in, we started our first wedding collection, then immediately started work on The Met Gala (more in parts 2 and 3 on those stories).
The goal is for the space to be truly multifunctional. Meaning, we’d have to use it for our day to day workspace, our photoshoots, client meetings, buying appointments with retailers and even an entertaining space for our soon to be famous dinner parties and soirées ;). That’s a lot to fit into 800ish square feet but I think cramming as much functional aesthetics as possible into a tiny space is one of our super powers.
We began with a vintage dining table paired with mismatched chairs from varying eras. Everything in the space is vintage (of course)! We also have a vintage dresser with mirror, a mid century modern credenza that we use for packing orders and I simply had to have a record player from 1976 fully equipped with a changer so we can play up to 6 records without having to flip them. I know, pretty swanky!
We decided to line an entire wall with pinch pleated ivory cotton velvet curtains. This makes it easy to move a few clothing racks aside and transition the wall to our photoshoot back drop. We also blocked off a section of the space with the same velvet curtains to create our stock room. This is where we house our inventory and vintage brick a brac and anything that doesn’t match the decor like the printer for example.
Tanner made all the curtains in the space, pinch pleated them himself and even hemmed them after they were hung which is quite the feat; but if you know Tanner, it was a piece of cake for him. He also made the changing room curtains (of course we have to have a changing room), the valences and reupholstered 5 chairs in one of our favorite black and cream plaids in which you can see in the above image. He’s a whiz with this sort of thing!
More images by Evelyn Freja for WWD above.
The final steps include putting together a bar area, finding a very specific oval sofa or a tête-à-tête for the middle of the space and sourcing an antique trifold mirror. My Facebook market place searches are unreal. Does anyone have a spare tête-à-tête? Soon, we’d like to offer coffee, tea, wine and cocktails to serve while you’re shopping or accompanying a wedding appointment. We know it’s over the top but that’s just how we like it! Tanner and I live for these kinds of dramatics!
Day by day it’s becoming the studio we’ve always dreamed of. I think we’re still in disbelief because every night we leave to go home, we each say something along the lines of “goodnight studio” or “see you in the morning studio”. That’s how you know Tanner Fletcher is our baby.
Until next time,
Fletcher