This limited collection pays homage to the tradition of quiltmaking, with a modern twist.
Beau & Ro founder, Sara, met Merin Guthrie, Kit Made’s founder and designer, in March at Blue Hills at Round Top. Merin was selling gorgeous one-of-a-kind tops and coats made out of vintage quilts and quilt toppers. It was here that the idea was born to re-imagine these pieces and produce a collection in Sara’s factory, Olive Workshop, so that more people could enjoy them. Together, Sara and Merin designed quilt designs and silhouettes – a skirt, a top, and two dresses.
Behind The Seams
Kit Made, a modern dressmaker. From their in-house styles to a range of custom creations,Kit Made designs, cuts and sews every garment to order in Houston, TX.
Merin Guthrie is the CEO and Founder of Kit Made, a unique dressmaking company in Houston, Texas. Kit Made offers both ready-made styles and custom designs, prioritizing personalized service and skilled craftsmanship.
Q: Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Kit Made and how the business came to life?
A: Some of my absolute favorite clothes are vintage pieces from my grandmothers (I have three!). They are so beautifully made, they fit great - even though they weren't intended for me - and they have stood the test of time. They were made at a time when so much thought went into garments. I loved the idea of making each garment to measure and to order for a particular woman and her needs.
Q:What does a typical day at Kit look like?Â
A: Organized chaos! We have a busy studio: we make everything in house from start to finish and have an amazing team of seamstresses. Each day is a whirlwind of trying to sneak in some patternmaking time between fittings. We usually have eight or nine fittings a day, and they range from spectacularly creative gowns to that everyday navy dress you need in your life. And then between fittings I'm running around working with each seamstress on whatever they are creating at that moment. Lots of problem solving and figuring out how to make a certain detail work. And then I love working directly with our customers - it's a bit of a personal mission to ensure that every garment we make reflects that particular customer, from their fit to their lifestyle.
Q: What was the inspiration behind the quilt-inspired prints in the Spring Collection?
A: We chose some of our favorite and most iconic quilt patterns, from the wedding ring to Grandmother's Garden, and then Sara worked with a talented artist to create new, fresh versions of those motifs. As always - old, classic ideas, new uses and constructions.Â
Q: Can you describe the process of transforming a vintage quilt into a wearable piece?
A: Pattern, pattern, pattern! It's all about how you use the pattern. And then respecting the integrity of the existing quilt. Can its original binding be used? Is it heavy or light? What is the best use for that weight? You really have to ask yourself a number of questions before you dive in.Â
Q: What was the first piece you created from old quilts? How did this come about?Â
A: My friend Frani's quilt jacket - and a matching jacket for her daughter. It was 100% her idea: she came in with a quilt, wondering if we could make it into a barn jacket, and the idea really took off from there.
Q: How did your connection to Round Top begin, and how has it influenced Kit?
A: My connection to Round Top is really an ode to my wonderful friend Mariana, who, through her company Hibiscus Linens, has managed to bring together a really special group of women three times a year. It serves as a really valuable moment for me to step back from the studio and create new friendships and partnerships. I tend to be going a million miles an hour, and so stopping and being out of my natural habitat is both fun and really inspiring. Round Top itself is really an ode to making old things new again, and I think that dovetails so well with the work we do. Â
Q:How do the cultural and artistic elements of Round Top reflect in the designs of our latest collaboration?
A: The quilt is such a perfect symbol of Round Top: one thing that can be used for so many things, is at once handmade and chic, and a piece of craft. Meeting Sara at Round Top was a bit of kismet - there are very few designers who have the dedication to quality and who understand the elements of design and construction like she does. Â
Q: How do you see quilting evolving in the fashion industry, and what trends do you anticipate?
A: The idea of layering and joining has always been at the heart of clothing design, especially women's clothing. And quilts are frequently made of scraps, of small pieces of fabric that may have been off cuts from some larger project. So they are the original upcycled project. Tiny cast offs that come together to create something lasting and valuable. As we (hopefully) begin to pull back from the disposability of fast fashion, I think that consumers and brands are really yearning for lasting, quality goods.
Q: What role does storytelling play in your designs?
A: Every piece is a story - it's someone's original idea and the fruit of someone's labor. This collection is really the story of me and Sara and Round Top! How a text conversation becomes a tangible thing!
