From Rag Dolls to Riches

Designer Jess Brown started making rag dolls out of her Petaluma, California home 13 years ago for her children. The one-of-a-kind muslin dolls, made from antique linen scraps and cashmere sweaters, soon earned a cult following among the fashionable crowd— stylish moms could snap them up at Sweet William in Brooklyn and Tomas Meier in East Hampton. Last year, Botega Veneta commissioned life size versions of the dolls for the store’s New York City windows. (The dolls also inspired a childrens books "Kiki and Coco in Paris".)

blog-jess-brown-01.jpgFrom left: a Jess Brown quilt; Jess Brown's back-button shift, $210, jessbrownpieces.com

Today, Brown has expanded into custom quilts as well as a simple collection of clothing pieces like work shirts, gossamer thin slips, and tunics made from raw linen and the softest alpaca. Think Northern California nonchalance meets South of France chic. 

Photo: Tunic: Tristan Davison
By Maura Egan
August 28, 2012

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