Holes

As the days wind down to show time, a lot goes on. But right at this point, before the final fittings, I look for holes. And I always see them. Because until now, I'm working completely from my gut. I'm not thinking "what do women want?", because I am one, and I sort of think I know what to do, but no, the holes are always there. Did I address the needs of a woman working in a male dominated enviroinment? Do I have the 'can't live without it' summer skirt someone sees in the window and pulls across traffic to come in for? Do I have the perfect dress for a mid day wedding? Do I have the perfect get-up for your son's wedding if you don't have the perfect arms you thought you would at this point in your life? And when will I stop trying to be all things to all people? It's enough to leave you with a nervous tick. Yes-it is- that happened yesterday, when I woke up with a lip twitch Elvis would come out of hiding for. I design what I want, and I hope someone will want it. This is perhaps not the smartest of business models, but it really works if you think from all corners. There is a coat called "Fade To Brown" in the line-up. It has already caused a stir with everyone who has seen it. I wanted to make a perfect Spring coat. Maybe I watched too many That Girl episodes as a child, home from school in a fever state, but I thought it would be great to have this coat you put on and looked fresh and polished and ageless, but cool. An It coat. I knew a tweed would be tired. And heavy. But it had to have texture and interest. And it couldn't wrinkle, and it couldn't be fragile-you needed to use it, not take care of it. It couldn't be too light, but it couldn't be so dark it looked you were on your way to a funeral in the rain. I sometines run the trails in the woods behind my house at daybreak, and there are ferns all along the forrest floor that look incredible when the sun is illuminating them. I had thought it would be a great project with my daughters to use a breyer and print linen with their image. Of course that never happened, since I barely have a life outside of work and am not Marty Stewart. But when I was fabric shopping, I found a silk brocade, in an ivory to chocolate hombre with ferns printed in white running up the border. I remember the first time I saw it across the room. You'd have thought Ralph Fiennes walked in with a bouquet of flowers for me. I must have had a look of wistful longing on my face. It's the same look people have when they come in and spot the coat I made from it. Now today, I went through all the jackets, and I came up with some new, fresh ideas, and love them, and I think they could become a part of many women's wardobes, and fill those "It's 86 degrees outside, my office is 55 degress, and I have to go out for dinner after work-what do I wear?" moments. But I still get kind of misty when I think about that coat...