Fearless Eyelet - Snap Cuffs Long Sleeve Blouse
Not all designs start in the same way. In the summer of 2021 I began to notice a trend of eyelet fabric in the market. Thinking it is a great fabric that is breathable, elegant, and versatile I began to troubleshoot designs for a 2022 launch!
Personally, I love fitted clothes that provide a shape and the high low is my absolute favorite type of style. I wanted a design that caters to a modest fashion market and allows for some maneuverability in the design. Combining both those aspects the sides in front of the design began to take shape (pun intended).
I was unsure about what to do with the high low top. I was teetering on a really long back versus a mid-length back on the blouse. This was one of the moments of self-doubt. I decided to put aside my fear and sample both tops - mid-legnth back and long back toward the ankle (almost a shirt dress). What did I have to lose? Money, ok but I will have an opportunity to try it out!
Next to tackle was the pockets. At first the pocket placement was challenging. Tops or dresses usually do not have pockets. I wanted to place the pocket where it is easy to access without being a hindrance. It took some awkward moments of standing in front of a mirror and aiming to naturally place my hand in a "pocket" to determine the appropriate positioning.
The last piece of the puzzle for this top (which came after the 3rd sample series) was snap cuffs. This came about as I was wearing a sample at home all day. I went to go make wadu and found it difficult to unbutton my sleeves. Instantly I realized our blouses needed to take this into consideration. We adjusted the sample and included snaps, without sacrificing the button design.
Of course as I narrate this the timeline feels that this process should have taken 1 -2 months. In fact, this process took about 6 -8 months before we went into production! Crazy, I know.
We sampled this top (Fearless Eyelet - Snap cuffs with long sleeves) about 4-5 times before we went into full production. Partly due to style and partly due to sizing.
Keep reading and you will learn the intricacies of the process and why it took so long!