Mixed’s debut apparel collection, Emerge, is here.
It’s hard to believe that the collection started out with just a few rough sketches. With the initial design concepts in hand, I ventured out into New York’s garment district where I discovered countless hidden fabric stores tucked away in the old brick buildings of midtown Manhattan. I rummaged through mountains of (often poorly organized) fabric, rubbing each textile between my fingers until I found the right ones for our collection. Once I settled on a few swatches, I sent the fabric and sketches over to Sasha to begin drafting the samples.
Through countless hours-long video calls, we directed each piece forward, keeping the concepts and styles alive as she navigated the practical constraints that the fabric imposed on the original sketches. For months, she traced, cut, sewed and pulled pieces apart more times than I know—until each garment was perfected and production ready.
Meanwhile, I was sourcing trims from the garment district, redesigning our prints for apparel and producing them into textiles. When the final printed fabric arrived, I carried every roll back and forth from my apartment to our NYC factory where the entire collection would be produced.
I remember the day it finally felt real. I was called to the factory to check the pieces from the top of the production line. My breath became shallow as I made my way to the factory office—this moment was going to make or break me. I opened the door, saw the garment, and let out a yelp of relief and excitement. It was more beautiful than I’d imagined. I quickly tried it on, took pictures and sent it to my closest friends. It was proof that what Sasha and I had been working on for so many months was real and so damn worth it. I walked home that day in a dream state.
It’s been a trying, uncertain year. We put in a solid 10 months of intense, experimental work before we could even glimpse the fruits of our labor. For those months we walked in the dark, unsure if we were moving in the right direction. But from that uncertainty emerged something beautiful.
This collection was inspired by the flickers of beauty and color that come from the dark. It’s about emerging anew, stepping into who you’ve become and being seen in full color. For me, it’s about the emergence of my own artistry and Mixed’s journey into fashion and design. I wonder what it means for you.
Thank you so much for being a part of our journey—I hope you love what we made for you.