For the past year I have been conceptualizing, sketching, drafting, cutting, sewing, re-evaluating and re-doing, and I am so excited to finally share my new collection with you: HAUTE AND HONEY! It is a small line of simple, yet unique linen pieces that are made to make you feel cool, confident, and comfortable. I’d like to convey a few features of my line that may not be obvious upon first glance, but are integral to the collection, namely, its intended use, fabric choice, pricing, and further undertakings. Together, these factors summarize HAUTE AND HONEY and will hopefully give you a better appreciation for what this line is and what it may be for you.
Personally, when I dress I wear a variety of styles depending on my mood, whatever the occasion. I may dress up for a day alone at home, or dress down for a party with friends and colleagues. I like to have versatile pieces that can be dressy or casual and always comfortable. My designs are inspired by this concept of individuality and playfulness, but function is of equal consideration.
I’ve used the term loungewear to describe this line in the past. I was trying to keep its intention open, but I’m still often asked how my pyjama line, or lingerie collection is going. While HAUTE AND HONEY is very much about comfort and sensuality, it is not meant only for sleepwear or relaxing at home. These pieces are meant to be worn however you want to wear them! I wear them at home and feel elegant and sexy but completely at ease as well. I also wear them out, accessorised with little jackets, scarves, fitted tops, patterned over-pieces, brimmed hats, chunky heels, tennis shoes… the options are endless!
These pieces are also wonderful for sleeping! I like the flouncy shorts as pj’s. I feel like I’m dressed up and pretty, with my hair in a French braid and a slinky tank top on. It’s just so fun to feel beautiful when no one is looking… but even more so when they are! My point is, forget labels! Clothes are meant to be worn in a way that feels good to you. Express yourself to others, but also smile at your own reflection. YOU wear the pieces however you want in as many different ways as you want, just feel confident and comfortable.
HAUTE AND HONEY is a collection for versatility and radiating confidence, but it is also intended to be body-loving and sustainable. Every garment is made out of 100% unbleached, undyed, organic linen. This is possibly the BEST fabric for your body. I rave about the wonderful qualities of linen often, but will sum it up again here:
Linen is super absorbent. So if you sweat in linen, your clothes will get all wet?… umm no! Linen is also really fast at allowing moisture to evaporate from it, so moisture is free to quickly escape from the fabric as soon as it is absorbed, keeping you dry and cool. For this reason, linen clothing and bedding are especially great in hot weather.
Linen has high thermal insulation. This means it maintains the temperature between your skin and the fabric so you stay cooler when it’s hot outside AND you stay warmer when it’s cool outside. So, surprising as it may be, linen is also great in cold weather! In other words, this fabric is an all-around champion of breathability and comfort no matter what the climate.
Linen is antibacterial/antiseptic. This means fungus and bacteria cannot breed on it so it’s great for undergarments, bedding and for preventing odour in general.
Linen is strongest when wet (unlike most fabrics). Linen items withstand washing much better than most other garments and, therefore, will last longer.
Linen gets softer with each wash. So wear, wash and repeat often, you’ll love your linen and it will love you right back!
Linen is a natural fabric. Made from the flax plant, linen is derived from its stalk and, through a series of strategic processes, is spun into fine yarn, then woven into fabric. By using unbleached and undyed fabric from flax that has been farmed without the use of pesticides, this collection aims at leaving as small a footprint as possible on the natural world.
Linen is the oldest known fabric. I couldn’t help but add this in, though it is not a quality of the fabric. Since ancient Egyptian times, linen has been used for clothing and bedding and more. Throughout history it has been seen as a fabric of health, wealth, and virtue – no wonder!
Honestly, I could really dork out about the amazing physical and chemical properties, medical benefits, historical uses, and scientific studies surrounding linen, but basically my point is, I’ve selected this fabric many reasons.
Because converting flax into linen fibre is a long and tedious process, it is not produced in vast quantities or at rapid production speeds. This combined with its many beneficial qualities makes linen quite valuable and therefore, expensive. Add to this the challenge of farming the flax organically, and prices can steepen very quickly. Nevertheless, the price is a testament to the quality of the fabric, which is why I have selected it for this collection. By extension, the pricing of HAUTE AND HONEY is a testament to the quality of fabric choice, as well as the design and assembly of each piece. My garments are priced to account for material cost and for labour. Unlike many articles of clothing that are purchased through larger companies, there is not a pricing mark-up for profit’s sake or to pay an intermediator or wholesaler. Your payment goes toward the value of the purchased garment, and toward supporting a small-scale designer. With garments ranging from about $70 to just over $200, HAUTE AND HONEY offers resilient and timeless styles at a fair and realistic price.
I’d like to conclude by sharing with you some upcoming additions to HAUTE AND HONEY I am working on. First of all, the line is currently all white (Note: I’ve changed fabric vendors for a better quality fabric, thus the colour is now slightly more toward ivory), but of course we all know the concerns with white clothing. Luckily I have worn my white items, spilled on them as is my daily routine, washed in natural detergent and… voila! Clean again (Oh, did I forget to mention linen is also stain resistant too?!). Anyhow, for those of you weary of buying or wearing anything white, I am currently working on some natural dyes. However, longevity and saturation are a concern, so I am still experimenting with the processes and pigments. It is my hope to have more eco-friendly colour options for Spring/Summer 2017. Also, as noted on the website, I am currently designing some bedding – how could I not with such perfectly suited fabric! So please stay tuned, as that will be coming very soon!
Please feel free to check out my website, www.hauteandhoney.com, and send me a message if you like. Thank you for your interest and support! Xo
Michelle Lee Duncan
duncanmichellelee@gmail.com
www.hauteandhoney.com
