The Polka Dot Club has been around for a while now - long enough that looking back at this studio visit from 10 years ago feels like stepping into a time machine. Back then, the studio was smaller, different patterns in so many long gone colors where in production, and there were some very small kids running around.
It's funny what stays with you and what changes. The process of everything is still s-l-o-w. I can spend a whole day planning out a new clothing pattern or agonizing over small details, and those are the planning days. So much of my time is still spent cutting, sewing, embroidering... and there is absolutely still a mess of fabric and thread everywhere you look. That hasn't changed at all.
The Permanent Collection is the clearest example. Those four mohair bears have stayed almost exactly the same since day one... same shapes, same proportions, same hand embroidered faces. The first PDC clothes still fit.
Everything else around them may have shifted over the years. The kids are older, the studio is bigger. I've worked with sewing groups and knitters in India and Peru- the way we worked was so aligned, but the distance was a struggle. I like to keep things small... that said, I've collaborated with Misha and Puff, Apolina Kids, DÔEN, and so many others. That process filled me up with the joy of working with like-minded makers. Getting a glimpse inside someone else's process and forever being inspired by their unique vision- that was my plan for the PDC from the start, but I wouldn't have dreamed it would have all come true.
So what's in store for the next ten years? I'm sure I'll continue to try new things, but those four bears will remain the heart of the PDC - for now, and forever.
I'm so grateful for these images as time-machine granted to me by Cameron. His eye and company... the best. See more images from this Studio with Cameron here.
