Black Bird Dress

This dress was born from a unique design challenge that connected fashion with a sense of place. I was assigned Blackbird, a dark, moody restaurant that used to sit in a trendy part of Downtown Sacramento. The restaurant’s vibe was unforgettable—black walls, dim lighting, and these grid-like windows with slender black frames crisscrossed with wood, creating a pattern of little squares. That visual stuck with me, and I wanted the dress to feel like a tribute to Blackbird’s atmosphere.

The skirt is entirely handwoven from strips of vinyl and plastic, reflecting the structure of those windows. I love how the plastic and vinyl create a high contrast, almost like a shadow against the light, echoing the restaurant's dramatic ambiance. The bodice features one of my signature details—a heart-shaped design in see-through plastic, symbolizing a hidden warmth in all the darkness.

For the earrings, I crafted pieces from plastic bottles, representing the everyday materials we overlook but can find beauty in, much like how Blackbird’s atmosphere was both raw and captivating. The way the plastic catches the light reminds me of the glimmer of a blackbird’s feathers. This piece isn’t just about the look; it’s about bringing that moody, mysterious vibe to life, capturing the spirit of a place that might be gone but isn’t forgotten.