Hugging Dress

2023

I designed a “Hug & Kiss” dress with 16 permutations, working with a collaborator/costume designer on stitching. I designed the dress, the embroidery, and hand-dyed the dress rust orange.

The dress has lapels that resemble faces and come together to kiss with a magnetic “latch.” It also has a double-wrap-around waistband that is embroidered with hands, resembling arms that hug the wearer. It has two generous pockets that stem from the bodice seams, and a back that can optionally be closed or opened depending on the wearer’s preference. For its final permutation, the sleeves can be rolled up to short sleeve or let down to 1/2 sleeve length.